mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FALLEN NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIER ARMY STAFF SERGEANT (SSG) NICHOLAS J. OLIVIER
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2017-2-15

today I rise in memory of Army Staff Sergeant (SSG) Nicholas J. Olivier who paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending our great nation on February 23, 2005, during Operation Iraqi Freedom III. SSG Olivier's final mission was to conduct a foot patrol in Baghdad, Iraq in order to find terrorist elements reported to be operating in the area. While on the patrol, enemy forces initiated a complex ambush with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire that resulted in the mortal wounding of SSG Olivier and the injury of several of his fellow soldiers. prgtoken SSG Olivier was described as a leader who made it a top priority to get the men under his command back home to their families and loved ones once their tour was complete. prgtoken SSG Olivier, of Jackson, MS, was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, V Corps, Pineville, LA. He was the 15th member of the 256th from Louisiana to lose his life in Iraq. prgtoken SSG Olivier is survived by his parents, William and Linda Olivier and his wife, Angelle. In a statement issued by the National Guard, Angelle Olivier said her husband was committed to Operation Iraqi Freedom III and his country because he felt it was necessary to ensure America's freedom and to fight to abolish terrorism. prgtoken SSG Olivier gave his life to protect the freedoms we all enjoy. His sacrifice will not be forgotten.
RECOGNIZING AMERICAN HEART MONTH
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-2-15

as our Nation celebrates American Heart Month, I want to highlight the groups and individuals working to ensure that south Florida is filled with healthy hearts. prgtoken Organizations like the Ft. Lauderdale-Miami chapter of the American Heart Association work tirelessly every day to raise awareness and support patients, as well as caregivers. The members will be hosting the Miami Heart and Stroke Ball to help fund lifesaving research and prevention programs in our community. prgtoken I would also like to recognize the medical researchers, the doctors, and the nurses at the Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute and so many other medical centers that are working to pioneer innovative treatments that save lives in south Florida every day. prgtoken This American Heart Month, let us unite as a community to promote exercise, healthy eating habits, and frequent checkups to ensure that south Florida is heart-healthy throughout the entire year.
Andrew Puzder (Executive Calendar)
John McCain (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-2-15

I rise in opposition to the nomination of Congressman Mick Mulvaney to serve as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. prgtoken Under most circumstances, I always give the benefit of the doubt to the incoming President for obvious reasons; that he is the choice of the American people. So it is with great reluctance that I come to the floor of the Senate to rise in opposition to the nomination of Congressman Mick Mulvaney. prgtoken President has committed to ``end the Defense sequester and rebuild our military.'' Earlier this month, the President promised troops at CENTCOM headquarters that his administration ``will make an historic financial investment in the armed forces of the United States.'' I fully support the President's commitment. I fear that Congressman Mulvaney, as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, does not. prgtoken I believe we must rebuild our military while at the same time putting our Nation on a sustainable, long-term fiscal path. We can and must do both. Unfortunately, Congressman Mulvaney has spent his last 6 years in the House of Representatives pitting the national debt against our military. He offered amendments in support of cutting our national defense funding year after year after year. prgtoken As my colleagues and I sought repeatedly to find legislative solutions to reverse dangerous defense cuts and eliminate arbitrary defense spending caps, it was Congressman Mulvaney and his allies who repeatedly sought to torpedo these efforts. prgtoken In 2013, Congressman Mulvaney succeeded in passing an amendment to cut $3.5 billion from the Defense appropriations bill. His website featured an article touting the achievement, but when I asked him about that vote during his confirmation hearing, Congressman Mulvaney said he didn't remember that amendment. I think anybody who treats our national defense with the seriousness it deserves would remember a vote like that. prgtoken President has said that defense cuts over the last several years have depleted our military. Our military leaders have testified that these cuts have placed the ``lives of'' our military ``servicemembers at greater risk.'' That is an exact quote from our military leaders, but Congressman Mulvaney has said that in the greater scheme of things, sequestration cuts were not that big. He also said: ``The only thing worse than those military cuts would be no cuts at all.'' prgtoken This is the kind of statement that can only be made by a person detached from the reality of what these cuts have meant to military servicemembers. Tell that to the thousands of soldiers who were forced out of the Army because of these cuts. Tell that to the Marine pilots who fly fewer hours per month than their Russian and Chinese counterparts because of these cuts. Tell that to the Air Force maintainers, stealing parts from retired aircraft and museum pieces to keep their planes in the air
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.J. RES. 43, PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF FINAL RULE BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.J. RES. 69, PROVIDING...
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-2-15

in a time when so many Americans are looking for ideas and policies we can unite around, one point of agreement stands out. There is strong consensus among Americans that they do not want their taxpayer dollars being used to fund abortions. A Marist poll released in January revealed that 61 percent of Americans feel this way. prgtoken States have always had the freedom to direct funds away from abortion providers, such as the Nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, and there are many reasons States may wish to do so. The most important reason, one that we should all carefully consider, is that abortion is not health care. Abortion takes the lives of unborn children and hurts women. Many States have recognized this tragic reality and, as a result, have chosen to award funds to health clinics and organizations that do not provide abortions. prgtoken But in December, the administration issued a regulation that forces many States to drastically alter their previous course of action. The regulation requires States to include abortion providers as recipients of title X grant distributions. Not only does this regulation ignore the American people's wish that their tax dollars be directed away from abortion providers, it also denies States the flexibility to choose to allocate title X funds in a way that meets the needs of their citizens. prgtoken H.J. Res. 43 disapproves of this unacceptable regulation, allowing States to return to the status quo under which they were operating prior to the rule's issuance. If States wish to disburse title X funds away from abortion providers, that wish should be respected. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule and H.J. Res. 43.
Tax Reform (Executive Calendar)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2017-2-15

our Tax Code is a mess. No one voted for it, no one wants it, and no one likes it. I have said many times we should eliminate all of the special interest loopholes in the code and use that money to cut taxes for everyone, including American businesses. We want to encourage them to invest, grow, and create more jobs right here in America. prgtoken I know my colleagues are working on a tax bill, and I want to stress how much I support their efforts. I will, of course, withhold judgment on any proposal until I see the final text, but I also want to say today, I have reservations about one idea that is being considered. It is called a border adjustment tax. It sounds like something from Orwell's Newspeak. prgtoken Here is how it would work. We would cut taxes for corporations. To make up for the lost revenue, we would tax businesses whenever they bought something from another country. For instance, every time Ford bought an auto part from Canada, it would pay a 20-percent tax or every time your local grocery store bought bananas from Guatemala, it would pay a 20-percent tax. Whatever money businesses made from selling their products in other countries would be exempt. In other words, what all this would amount to is a 20-percent tax on imports. The proponents of this tax contend it would stop businesses from leaving our country because right now some are moving overseas to avoid paying our corporate tax rate, which is the highest in the modern industrial world. Under this proposal, it would not matter where you put your headquarters, you would be taxed according to what you bought, not where you put down your stake. prgtoken The hope is, this arrangement would mean more headquarters, more factories and the jobs that come with them staying right here in America, which of course is a desirable goal, no doubt, but I am not at all convinced this is the best way to do it. Consider this. It is estimated that this one change alone would produce something like $100 billion a year in additional tax revenue. That is a lot of money, and someone has to pay for it. I will tell you exactly who is going to pay: working Americans who have been struggling for decades. A tax on imports is a tax on things working folks buy every single day. I am not talking about caviar and champagne. I am talking about T-shirts, jeans, shoes, baby clothes, toys, and groceries. prgtoken I have heard from thousands of Arkansans who are already struggling just to get by. Why would we make the stuff they get at Walmart more expensive? Its defenders say the tax will not increase the cost of imports. What will happen, they say, is our exports will be cheaper because we no longer tax them so then more people overseas will buy our exports from us, which means the dollar itself will increase in value. That means imports will not be expensive because you will be able to buy them with a stronger dollar. So even with the tax added on, you w
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-2-15

I rise today as the Senate considers the nomination of Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina to be the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. That is OMB. We are long overdue in confirming Mr. Mulvaney to this key post because our Nation has so many pressing budgetary issues requiring the attention of this new administration. First among them is the staggering $20 trillion debt burden we are now faced with after 8 years of anemic economic policy and growth--and growing at the rate of half a trillion dollars a year. Confirming an OMB Director we can work with will put America on a more responsible fiscal path. prgtoken With their unprecedented attempts to delay the new Cabinet, Senate have ensured that the President has now been without an OMB Director longer than any other President in the past 40 years. That is how long the Budget Act has been in place. According to Senate records, from President Jimmy Carter to President , the longest it has ever taken to approve a first budget director for a new President was 1 week--1 week. We are now in week 4, with little or no movement. As Majority Leader McConnell said last week, this is the slowest time for a new Cabinet to be up and running since President George Washington-- and that was last week. It is even slower than that, and we are still not done. prgtoken It is vital that we fill this position as soon as possible because the Director of the Office of Management and Budget will help set the President's budget priorities and play an important role in working with Congress on setting the appropriate spending levels for the Nation. This position is crucial to helping the Federal Government function in what is shaping up to be a very challenging fiscal environment that requires all of our attention. prgtoken Some may wonder why are opposed to Mr. Mulvaney. It could be because he has been a vigilant budget hawk during his 6 years in Congress, focused on the question of how we ultimately stop the Federal Government from overspending while continuing to fund the country's core priorities and responsibilities. They could be worried that the White House Budget Director will be a prominent voice, arguing for fiscal restraint, for responsible budgets, and for honest budgeting that avoids the use of gimmicks, such as emergency funding designations for nonemergencies. prgtoken I am hopeful Mr. Mulvaney and the OMB will ensure the taxes the hard- working Americans send to Washington are spent in the most efficient and effective way. The Federal Government has not been currently focused on making sure hard-working taxpayers get the best deal for their money. A new OMB Director focused on responsible budgeting can help ensure that when duplication in government programs and agencies is discovered, it is addressed. This will help make the Federal Government more accountable and effective. prgtoken The Government Account
Remembering Ladd Seaberg (Executive Session)
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2017-2-15

Ladd Seaberg, a Kansas resident whose home was in Atchison, KS, passed away on Kansas' 156th birthday. My State lost an individual who epitomizes all that it means to be a Kansan. prgtoken Throughout his life, Ladd was dedicated to serving his family, his friends, his colleagues, and his hometown of Atchison. prgtoken Atchison is along the Missouri River, the Kansas River, and right on the border with the neighboring State. They have a long history in that community, and he and his family have had a long opportunity, which they have taken advantage of, to benefit the citizens of that community. He fought a courageous fight with a terrible, progressive neurodegenerative disease, and he was laid to rest last week. prgtoken As a stalwart figure of Northeast Kansas who worked at MGP Ingredients for 40 years, he will long be remembered for his character and his leadership. Most everything good in Atchison involved Ladd and his family. prgtoken Ladd was not born a Kansan. He was born in West Texas and graduated from Texas Tech University, where he met his wife Karen Cray during a national science fair put on by the U.S. Air Force. Naturally, they both won first place awards at the fair, and later moved to Karen's hometown of Atchison, where they made their life and raised their family. prgtoken With a degree in chemical engineering and the mind of a true engineer, he had a passion for understanding the way things work on a mechanical level. His love of tinkering led him to a longtime hobby as an avid amateur radio operator. prgtoken Upon moving to Atchison, he began working at MGP as a distillery production manager. During his first 11 years there, Ladd rose to become the company's president and later CEO and, then, chairman of the board. He had an integral role in bringing the company public, when it became listed on Nasdaq's exchange. prgtoken Ladd and his beloved wife Karen, who now serves as MGP's board chairwoman, were blessed with two daughters and six grandchildren, who still live in Kansas today. prgtoken Beyond his leadership at the company MGP, where his intelligence and encouraging management style will long be remembered, Ladd contributed on numerous boards and to even more organizations that improve the lives of those who live in the community and around the State. To name but just a few, he was a founding member of the International Wheat Gluten Association, separately represented the U.S. grain community at the World Trade Organization meetings, and was a board member of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry. prgtoken He was also one of the original founders of the Atchison Area Economic Development Council, a longtime member of the Historical Society, and a former chairman of the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce board. prgtoken Ladd's leadership was indispensable on the Amelia Earhart Memorial Bridge committee to construct a new bridge in 2012 across the Missouri River named for a
VOTERS TRUST TRUMP, NOT THE MEDIA
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-2-15

despite the saturation of negative media coverage of President , the people have spoken. A recent poll found that President is thought more trustworthy than the news media. prgtoken The administration is considered truthful by 49 percent of registered voters, but the media is less trusted than the administration, with only 39 percent finding it honest. So President is more credible than the liberal national media. prgtoken That is no surprise. If the media wants to increase their credibility, they should report the news fairly, objectively, and without malice.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-2-15

before we vote on the resolution of disapproval, I want to reiterate several very important facts. prgtoken This resolution of disapproval is bipartisan. The resolution is also supported by 23 groups, mostly disability rights groups. prgtoken The disability groups believe that this agency--the Social Security Administration--and its regulation will unfairly stigmatize those with disabilities. Of course, they are right. prgtoken The American Civil Liberties Union has said this: We oppose this rule because it advances and reinforces the harmful stereotype that people with mental disabilities, a vast and diverse group of citizens, are violent and should not own a gun. There is no data to support a connection between the need for a representative payee to manage one's Social Security disability benefits and a propensity toward gun violence. prgtoken The ACLU goes on to say: Here, the rule automatically conflates one's disability- related characteristic, that is, difficulty managing money, with the inability to safely possess a firearm. prgtoken The agency regulation is defective in many ways. Namely, the regulation does not require the agency to prove a person is dangerous or mentally ill. The regulation also provides no formal hearing or due process before a person is reported to the gun ban list. prgtoken Supporters of the gun ban have said that repeal of this regulation will interfere with the enforcement of the gun prohibition laws. I want to say plainly and simply: This is hogwash. We should not let baseless scare tactics confuse this important issue. prgtoken Important Federal gun laws are still on the books, even if the agency rule is repealed. We aren't repealing any laws. prgtoken The new regulation is inconsistent with these existing Federal gun laws. prgtoken The agency still has a duty to report anyone who has actually been adjudicated as dangerously mentally ill to the gun ban list. That is also true of anyone convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or involuntarily committed to a mental institution. prgtoken The Federal law requires this: If a Federal department or agency . . . has any record of any person demonstrating that the person falls within one of the categories . . . shall . . . provide the pertinent information contained in such record to the Attorney General. prgtoken This law remains in effect. prgtoken Repealing this regulation will merely ensure that disabled citizens' Second Amendment rights are, in fact, protected. prgtoken Those rights will no longer be able to be revoked without a hearing and without due process. It will take more than a personal opinion-- just a personal opinion of a bureaucrat--to abridge one's Second Amendment rights. prgtoken An existing statute requires agencies to report the individuals to the gun ban list who are ineligible to possess firearms. That requ
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-2-15

I have six requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: committee on commerce, science, and transportation prgtoken The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to hold a meeting during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at 2:30 p.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The committee will hold a subcommittee hearing on ``Moving America: Stakeholder Perspectives on Our Multimodal Transportation System.'' committee on environment and public works prgtoken The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at 10 a.m in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Oversight: Modernization of the Endangered Species Act.'' committee on foreign relations prgtoken The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at 10 a.m to hold a hearing entitled ``Ending Modern Slavery: Building on Success.'' committee on homeland security and governmental affairs prgtoken The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at 2:45 p.m. in order to conduct a hearing titled ``High Risk: Government Operations Susceptible to Waste, Fraud, and Mismanagement.'' special committee on aging prgtoken The Special Committee on Aging is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Stopping Senior Scams: Developments in Financial Fraud Affecting Seniors''. The committee will meet in room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building beginning at 2:30 p.m. subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities prgtoken The Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at 10 a.m.