mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING ARKANSAS MILITARY VETERANS' HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise today to pay tribute to the 15 men and women recently inducted into the Arkansas Military Veterans' Hall of Fame. prgtoken Of the 15 inductees, the Hall of Fame selected 10 ``exclusively for their brave military service to our country,'' while it selected an additional 5 for their ``combined military and civilian service to our community, State, and Nation.'' prgtoken I am proud to note that 8 of these 15 American heroes hail from the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas, serving in conflicts ranging from World War II to Vietnam, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan. This speech simply is not enough time to recognize their courage and sacrifice for our Nation. prgtoken I extend my thanks to all those who served as we recognize Veterans Day. prgtoken , I submit for the Record a brief biography of each of the Fourth District heroes honored by the Arkansas Military Veterans' Hall of Fame. Honoring Arkansas Military Veterans' Hall of Fame Inductees Rep. Bruce Westerman/November 9, 2017 Biographies of Fourth Congressional District Inductees (as provided by the AMVHOF): Chief Petty Officer Adam Lee Brown, deceased (Killed in Action), Hot Springs, U.S. Navy, Iraq (two tours), Afghanistan (two tours). Awards include the Silver Star Medal for Gallantry in Action, the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Purple Heart Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and three Navy Achievement Medals. Specialist Four Roger K. Hollinger, Sr deceased, Prattsville, U.S. Army, Vietnam. Awards include the Silver Star Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster for Gallantry in Action, the Bronze Star Medal for Exceptionally Meritorious Combat Achievement, and the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. Major General Billie (Bill) Branham Lefler, deceased, Hot Springs Village, U.S. Army, Vietnam. Awards include two Distinguished Service Medals, the Legion of Merit Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. Major General Sidney Sanders McMath, Deceased, Magnolia, U.S. Marine Corp, World War II. Awards include the Silver Star Medal for Gallantry in Action, and the Legion of Merit Medal for Valor. Colonel Billie Ray Wood, Mena, U.S. Army, Vietnam. Awards include the Legion of Merit Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Army Soldier's Medal, the Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally meritorious combat achievement, two Meritorious Service Medals, 22 Air Medals, and three Army Commendation Medals. Technician Fourth Grade Doyle Ray Collie, deceased, New DeRoche, U.S. Army, World War II. Awards include the Purple Heart Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with four Bronze Service Stars. Lieutenant Colonel Mary Virginia Erdman, Hot Springs Village, U.S. Army Reserves, Desert
CELEBRATING THE CAREER OF U.S. CAPITOL POLICE SERGEANT JOEL HOBBS
Gregg Harper (Republican, MS) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise to celebrate the career of U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Joel Hobbs, who is retiring in November after twenty-seven years with the force. prgtoken Since 2014, Sergeant Hobbs has served in the Criminal Investigations Section. He was responsible for supervising investigations for criminal offenses occurring on Capitol Grounds, such as assaults, stolen property, thefts, and fraud, among other offenses. prgtoken Prior to his promotion to Sergeant, Sergeant Hobbs served over 20 years on the Patrol Division. The Patrol Division is responsible for providing police services on a 24-hour basis, and security services designed to protect Congress, its employees, visitors, and property under the jurisdiction of Congress. As a Patrol Division Officer, Hobbs became recognized as a subject matter expert in areas involving arrest procedures, crime scene search, report writing, among other areas. prgtoken Sergeant Hobbs has accumulated numerous awards and recognitions from USCP and the Congressional Community throughout his career. As an officer and supervisor, Sergeant Hobbs has embraced every assignment given to him, and has had a positive impact everywhere he has been. prgtoken The U.S. Capitol Police play an extraordinarily important and often- overlooked role in the functioning of our nation's democracy. Without the safe and secure space they provide, lawmakers would be unable to conduct the American people's work and carry out our functions under the Constitution. All of us who serve in Congress hold the U.S. Capitol Police and its personnel in high esteem, and we are grateful for those who put on its uniform every day. prgtoken I hope my colleagues will join me in thanking Sergeant Joel Hobbs for his almost three decades of service to the U.S. Capitol Police, to the Congress of the United States, and to prgtoken our nation. I wish him all the best in his retirement.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Executive Session)
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-11-9

I want to echo the message of the Senator from Georgia. This is a terrific opportunity. This is a very big day. It is a big step forward on our path to restoring the economic growth that we have been waiting for all this time. I am very excited about this step forward and the remainder of the process to get this done, to get this bill signed into law. prgtoken Why do we need this? We have just lived through the weakest recovery in American history--feeble growth, stagnant wages, and a widening gap between the wealthy and the poor. That is what has been happening for years. prgtoken Some people say: Well, that is just the way it is. You just need to get used to it. That is the new normal. That is what America is about now. prgtoken That is complete nonsense. There is nothing inevitable about the American economy being weak and denying opportunity for the people we represent. It is a direct result of bad policy, failed policy that prevented us from having the recovery we would normally have after a recession. prgtoken What was that policy? Well, we saw it. It is very clear. It is not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of fact that productivity growth in America collapsed. It is a matter of fact that investment in the kinds of new plants and equipment that allow for productivity to grow collapsed. It is a fact that new business startups just dried up. People weren't able and willing to do it. prgtoken There is no mystery about why our economy was so weak for so many years. We had imposed conditions that made it impossible to have the kind of growth that is normal. Meanwhile, what was happening in the rest of the world? The rest of the world was systematically making their tax codes more competitive. The countries that we compete with around the world, in Europe and Asia, were lowering the rates they apply to business income, they were simplifying their codes, and they were moving to international systems that made it more conducive for them to generate investment into their countries, while we did nothing except let our Tax Code ossify. That is what has been happening these last many years. prgtoken What I am excited about is that this bill fixes exactly what is broken. This bill goes to exactly where the problem is and begins to turn this around. How do we do that? One of the things we do--a hallmark of this bill--is we are going to lower the cost of investing in the new plants and equipment that will allow American workers to become more productive. More productive workers get paid more in wages; that is just a fact. That is what is going to happen as a result of this bill. prgtoken Another thing we do in this bill is we get away from this terrible policy we have that is resulting in foreign companies buying up American companies. The way we treat income earned overseas is a disaster, and we are the only country in the world that does it. prgtoken I think you could make a case that today the Unit
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-11-9

I agree with the Senator from South Carolina. This is, indeed, a good day for the families who will benefit from this additional money in their paycheck, from the increased standard of living they will enjoy. prgtoken For those of us who want to see businesses come back home from abroad, they fled this country because we have the highest corporate tax rate in the world. When we say we want to reform that broken corporate tax rate and to bring those businesses and that money home, we join our colleagues--ranging from the ic leader, Senator Schumer, to in 2011, in a joint session of the U.S. Congress--in advocating for bringing that business rate down so that businesses will stay in America. They will hire Americans, and they will improve wages for all working families. prgtoken I am proud to join my fellow Finance Committee colleagues on the floor today to support our version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was just released a few moments ago. prgtoken I congratulate Chairman Hatch for his leadership, but I am extraordinarily impressed with all the members of the Finance Committee who worked so hard together to try to get us to where we are today. We plan for lower rates. prgtoken As you heard, we increased the standard deduction, we expanded the child tax credit, and we reformed the Tax Code so that we can give Americans access to more jobs and higher wages. prgtoken Our ic colleagues have said they want tax reform too. I mentioned and Chuck Schumer, our colleague from New York, who repeatedly said that we should lower the corporate rate so businesses will come home, hire Americans, and help our economy grow here. So we are all in agreement on that on a bipartisan basis, and there is room for further agreement. prgtoken I agree with the chairman of the Finance Committee, Senator Hatch. We invite our ic colleagues to come together and join us, particularly starting on the Finance Committee on Monday. prgtoken If what we want is more, better paying jobs--and we do--then we have to focus on lowering rates on all the job creators, including small businesses, as you have heard. The framework we have developed was designed to cut taxes for middle-class families, not millionaires. It is to help small businesses grow and create more jobs. It is to provide relief for hard-working families by increasing the standard deduction, as our colleague from South Carolina pointed out. One out of ten taxpayers will now have to itemize deductions in order to take full advantage of the law to reduce their tax burden. So it will be simpler, easier to comply with, and lower their tax rate, while enhancing the child tax credit. These reforms will make the 1,000-page Tax Code easier to understand and comply with. Our efforts will simplify what are prgtoken now pages upon pages of language that only tax lawyers and lobbyists understand. prgtoken I look forward to continu
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Executive Session)
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2017-11-9

today is a good day. We have both the House and the Senate working on tax reform that will have a positive impact for everyday, hard-working Americans. This is truly a good day. prgtoken So often when you hear us talk about tax reform, it sounds like a lot of numbers. I am not sure how excited or enamored people get with numbers, but I am the kind of guy who believes tax reform is not about numbers. Tax reform is about everyday Americans being able to keep more of their hard-earned money. prgtoken Tax reform is about families like the one I grew up in--single-parent households, working paycheck to paycheck, year in and year out, praying and hoping for something good to happen. Today is good news for those single moms and single dads out there. prgtoken It is also good news for the working-class families--dual income-- making around $75,000 a year, working every day, trying to make sure they have a little left over for dinner out. prgtoken We want to say to those folks who haven't really had a raise in a decade: We hear you. We feel your pain. We want to deliver to your American family the opportunity to see more money in each paycheck. This is good. prgtoken And for folks who are looking to start businesses, we have a Christmas surprise for you too. prgtoken We have lowered taxes on the average family about $1,500 a year--$100 or so a month. Here is what that means. For a family where you are in a single-parent household, you bring home about $450 a paycheck. That could easily become an extra 10 percent per paycheck. That is a lot of money to a single-parent household. prgtoken We have also expanded the child tax credit to make sure that those folks in the middle-income brackets are able to keep more of that hard- earned money. If there is a focus on our tax reform package, it is to make sure that middle America--hard-working income earners--have a chance to see more money materialize in their paychecks. prgtoken We have also simplified the Tax Code. People say: Well, how did you do that? There are seven brackets. I understand. It is simple. Simplification means you do not have to itemize. Said differently, 9 out of 10 taxpayers will be able to use the expanded standard deduction to figure out their tax burden, as opposed to going item by item by item and understanding whether you can withdraw it or subtract it from your income. prgtoken I had the great pleasure to be a small business owner before entering Congress. Many small business owners represent the backbone of our economy. Most jobs created in the future will be created by a small business owner. We are going to lower your taxes so that you can hire more people and make long-term investments in building the greatest economy this country has known in more than a generation. prgtoken This is a good day, and we have good news.
IN RECOGNITION OF MS. KAZIA CAPENER
David G. Valadao (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise today to thank Ms. Kazia Capener for her service to my office and the people of California's Twenty-First Congressional District. prgtoken Ms. Capener was born July 13, 1993 in Provo, Utah while her parents, Lars and LeAnn Capener, were attending Brigham Young University. As a baby, her parents moved to northern California, first to Davis then to Redding, where she lived until she was eight. Her family then moved Kazia, her brother Leif, and her sister, Anja, to Aurora, Illinois where her brother Kai was born. Throughout her childhood, Ms. Capener was an active tennis player and worked as a coach while in both high school and college. prgtoken After graduating from Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois, Ms. Capener went on to attend Brigham Young University, Idaho, in 2011. While in college, Kazia served an eighteen-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Seattle, Washington. While in Seattle, she served as a full-time volunteer teaching about the church, organizing and performing community service, and teaching English as a second language. In 2015, Kazia studied abroad at Universite Paul Valery Montpellier--III, where she participated in an intensive French language immersion program in Montpellier, France. prgtoken Kazia joined my team as an Intern in my Washington, D.C. office in March 2017 and quickly became Staff Assistant a month later in April 2017. As Staff Assistant, Ms. Capener was instrumental to my team through managing my D.C. internship program, assisting my constituents by planning tours in the nation's capital, and helping staff with day to day tasks. As a member of my team, Ms. Capener was greatly respected by her peers for her professionalism and dedication to her work. Outside of work, Kazia is an avid music lover and enjoys attending concerts, videography, and learning about other cultures. prgtoken Ms. Capener's time with my office will come to a close November 9, 2017 when she leaves to begin a new career as an Employment Specialist at the Ethiopian Community Development Council in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with the United States Department of State, Ms. Capener will be responsible for helping refugees with special immigrant visas from all over the world create resumes, prepare for interviews, and ultimately, find employment. She will also teach American culture classes to new arrivals to help refugees integrate into their new communities. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in commending Ms. Kazia Capener for her public service to the people of California's Central Valley and wishing her well as she embarks on the next chapter of her life.
HONORING BARBARA HIGGENS
Peter J. Roskam (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise today in recognition of the long and distinguished career of Barbara C. Higgens on the occasion of her retirement. After 19 years of dedication and commitment, she is stepping down as CEO of Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI). Since its founding in 1998, Ms. Higgens has nurtured and grown PMI's visibility and influence within the United States and abroad. Ms. Higgens revamped the organization from her kitchen table as its first employee. She went on to hire dedicated professional staff and significantly enhanced the association's advocacy, technical, water conservation, environmental, and trade initiatives. Today, PMI is the nation's leading plumbing manufacturing trade association representing 90 percent of all the plumbing fixtures and fittings sold in the United States. Under her leadership, PMI has grown into an advocate for water- efficient products meeting high safety and performance standards. She was instrumental in the introduction and passage of a federal nationwide law to reduce lead in plumbing products, known as the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act, which was designed to safeguard all Americans please join me in celebrating this special occasion and wishing Barbara Higgens every happiness in her well-deserved retirement.
RECOGNIZING THE UNITY GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise to recognize the Unity High School Girls Cross Country Team, who are the 2017 Class 1A Illinois team cross country champions. prgtoken Unity, in Tolono, won the meet with 108 points, as its three All- State finishers, Caroline Bachert (13th), Jordan Harmon (21st), and Evelyn Atkins (25th), powered the team to victory. But this was a team effort and a team victory as every runner contributed to Unity's razor- thin two point victory. prgtoken I would like to congratulate the entire Unity Girls Cross Country Team on their victory: Evelyn Adkins, Caroline Bachert, Mackenzie Brunk, Caroline Cousins, Savannah Day, Kylie Decker, Miranda Fairbanks, Audrey Hancock, Jordan Harmon, Chelsie Helmick, Elizabeth Hulick, Taylor Joop, Rachael King, Natalie King, Riley Millsap, Taylor Millsap, Evyenia Pyle, Lily Styan, as well as Head Coach Kara Leaman, on a superb end to a great season. And with only one senior in the group who ran at the state meet, Unity can look forward to continued success with its program. prgtoken , today it is an honor for me to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Unity Girls Cross Country Team in winning the 2017 state cross country title, and I wish the team and their coach all the best in the future.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Executive Session)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-11-9

I really enjoyed listening to my colleague from Pennsylvania talking about this new tax reform plan that has just been unveiled by the Finance Committee. He is right; this is really exciting because it is an opportunity, after a lot of talk over a lot of years, to finally fix our Tax Code. prgtoken Our Tax Code is broken. It is broken in a lot of different respects, but one that he pointed out so well is the fact that we actually have jobs and investment going overseas because of our Tax Code. It is the responsibility of the people who are in this body and in the House and in the Presidency to actually fix that. No one else can do it. Workers in America, including in my home State of Ohio, are competing with one hand tied behind their back because we have a tax code that encourages other companies from foreign countries to come in and buy our companies, to take our business, to take our market share, to make it harder for U.S. workers to be able to compete and win. So I think it is way past time, frankly, for us to fix that. prgtoken People say: Well, we haven't reformed the Tax Code in 31 years and it is about time, and I agree with that. If we go back to the international part of our Tax Code that created a lot of these problems, we have to go back to John F. Kennedy, who last reformed it. That means that part of our Tax Code should qualify for AARP benefits; that is how old it is. So it is time for us to fix it, and it is really exciting to finally have the opportunity. prgtoken There are three parts of this tax reform proposal, all three of which are really important. The first is a tax cut for the middle class. Why is that important? Because right now, even with the economy that is starting to grow a little bit, what is happening? Wages are flat, so expenses are up across the board. prgtoken The biggest expense, by the way, is the one the Presiding Officer has been involved with, which is healthcare. People have seen their healthcare costs go up, as well as their premiums and their deductibles and their copays; yet their wages aren't going up, and that creates a middle-class squeeze. But it is more than healthcare. It is food. It is every day purchases. It is tuition, if you are trying to send your kid to school. Those have skyrocketed. So let's do something to actually give the family budget a little help; that is, the middle-class tax cuts that are in this proposal. prgtoken You probably saw today that the middle-class tax cut alone provides, on average, $1,458 for every family. That is the median income family. prgtoken One of the reporters here in the hall asked me: Gosh, $1,500 a family--why does that matter? prgtoken I said: It matters a lot if you are living paycheck to paycheck. Maybe you prgtoken are not, but a lot of people whom I represent are, and that $1,500 will help them to be able to make ends meet and maybe begin to save a little bit for vacation or retirement or for the abili