mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
VA MISSION Bill (Executive Session)
Johnny Isakson (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-5-23

I come briefly to the floor to encourage all Members of the Senate to vote for the VA MISSION bill. It is long overdue, a lot of hard work went into it, and it had a great vote on cloture of 91 to 4. prgtoken I am sure we will have an outstanding vote today because it is a vote for our veterans, for the promises we made to them for better quality healthcare and a better VA. It would not have happened if it were not for a lot of people, but one of the most key persons in making sure this bipartisan bill passes with the overwhelming margin it deserves is Jon Tester, my ranking member on the committee. We worked together hand in hand for about 3 years. We had enough pitfalls to want to quit many times but never did because we knew the ultimate goal was to meet our veterans' needs. prgtoken Today, when we adopt this bill, and later on this month when it is signed, it will be because of the hard work of a lot of people but none more important than Jon Tester from Montana. prgtoken I thank my ranking member for encouraging everyone to vote for the bill, and I thank the Presiding Officer at this time. prgtoken I yield to the ranking member.
U.S. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-5-23

earlier this month, President and his foreign policy team made the right choice to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with the dishonest Iranian regime. This Iran deal was flawed from its inception, freeing up billions of U.S. dollars and relaxing sanctions in exchange for weak restrictions and little enforcement. prgtoken Iran has taken advantage of this deal. In 2016, German intelligence found that Iran was secretly pursuing nuclear technology and equipment from German companies, violating the agreement less than a year after it was finalized. prgtoken That same year, Reuters reported that secret exemptions had been created for Iran after the talks were over, allowing them to evade some restrictions and get relief from our sanctions even faster. prgtoken Months after, another loophole in the agreement was exploited when Iran planned to buy 950 tons of uranium to make nuclear fuel since the agreement never placed a limit on how much uranium they could have. prgtoken All of this more than demonstrates the ineffectiveness of this deal and the potentially catastrophic effects of trusting Iran, which has a long and detailed history of blatantly being dishonest. prgtoken This is a bad deal for this country.
VA MISSION BILL (Executive Session)
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-5-23

as we approach Memorial Day weekend, we will soon pause to honor and remember the members of our Armed Forces who have paid the ultimate price in service to our country. prgtoken As Americans, we honor all our veterans who have sacrificially fought for our freedoms--certainly those who have paid with their lives but also those who have returned home, determined that we not forget their fallen brothers- and sisters-in-arms. prgtoken Among the most meaningful ways Congress can honor our veterans is to uphold the promises that have been made to them. One such promise and responsibility is to ensure that America's veterans have access to the quality medical care they earned through their service. prgtoken I thank Chairman Isakson and his staff for all the effort they have put into the bill before us. His tireless work on behalf of America's veterans has produced the compromise legislation now pending that aims to reform the VA's broken community care programs. prgtoken I particularly appreciate Chairman Isakson for sending his staff to Wyoming to understand the problems our veterans and providers have had with VA Choice. prgtoken Since the VA Choice Program was enacted in 2014, I have received hundreds of letters and calls from people across Wyoming who were so frustrated with the program that they felt they had no other choice but to call their Senator. I have been contacted by veterans who could not access timely followup care or critical screenings because of unpaid claims, leading to providers dropping patients. Some veterans are even facing collections from the Choice Program's failure to pay the providers' claims. prgtoken Similarly, many providers have not been paid for medical services they have provided. That has led some of Wyoming's physicians to stop participating in VA Choice. We are the least populated State in the Nation, but earlier this month, we had 3,130 pending claims in Wyoming, with 1,025 of them being over 30 days old. To get those numbers to even that level has required multiple meetings with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the administrator of the VA Choice Program for Wyoming. At the end of March, there were 5,319 pending claims and 3,214 more that were more than 30 days old. A number of my colleagues have participated in those meetings, and I appreciate their shared interest in improving care for our veterans in rural States. prgtoken Despite those meetings, I still hear reports about how difficult it is to get simple questions answered. Whether dealing with the VA directly or with contractors who are supposed to administer the program, the process of receiving and paying for healthcare services is broken. prgtoken I believe the problems faced by Wyoming's veterans and doctors will be improved by this bill. from Georgia for including provisions related to healthcare providers, veteran education, prompt payment to providers, tools for the VA to resol
HONORING BARKEATER CHOCOLATES ON ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-5-23

I rise today to honor and recognize Barkeater Chocolates on its 10th anniversary. prgtoken In 2008, Debbie Morris decided to turn her passion for chocolate into a business. With the help of her husband, Jim, she set out to provide the Adirondacks with artisanal chocolate. The Morris's renovated an old home into a chocolate factory and retail store in the North Creek area, and have not stopped making chocolate since. prgtoken Unsatisfied with the lack of variety and quality of chocolates available in their community, the Morris's set out to provide the North Country the delicious sweets it deserves. Barkeater Chocolates proudly offers dozens of flavors of truffles, caramels, bars, bark, peanut butter cups, and cocoa. Now a thriving business, prgtoken Barkeater Chocolates serves as a wonderful example of successful entrepreneurship in the North Country. prgtoken On behalf of New York's 21st district, I want to congratulate Barkeater Chocolates on its 10th anniversary. Barkeater Chocolates plays an important role in North Creek community life, and I look forward to watching Barkeater Chocolates continue to flourish in the years to come.
China (Executive Session)
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-5-23

there has been a lot of coverage over the last couple of months and years really--but certainly in the last few days--about the topic of China, ZTE, and trade. I have had a lot of questions about it, both in the hallways from the press and constituents back home and even from family and friends who have inquired what all the ruckus is about. I thought this was a good opportunity to lay out for my constituents and broadly for the American people what is at stake. prgtoken The first thing I would encourage everyone to do is to separate the two issues, the issue of trade with China and the issue of a specific company called ZTE, which is a phone company--a telecommunications company in the cell industry based in China. They were the fourth largest cell phone company in America, up until very recently when they struggled to stay in business. We will talk about that in a moment, but let's talk about those two things separately. They are not necessarily interrelated. prgtoken On the broader topic of trade and China, the United States has an enormous imbalance in trade--as we do with other countries but none like we do in China. A trade imbalance, by the way, in and of itself, is not problematic. It really depends on what has caused it, but the trade imbalance with China is problematic because of how it has happened. prgtoken China was basically poor, underdeveloped, under a Communist dictatorship, and decided it wanted to open up to the world and become more economically prosperous many years ago. prgtoken The deal the world made with China is, we are going to help you develop economically. You are going to open up. We are going to help you invest. We are going to help you create opportunity. We are going to let your companies invest in our economies. prgtoken There are rules in the world for trade. There are things that are allowed and things that are not allowed. For example, you are not allowed to steal another company's secrets. If another company has figured out how to make something, that is proprietary. They own it, they developed it, they spent money creating it, and you are not allowed to go there and steal that from them and start making it yourself. prgtoken You can't have rules that say your companies cannot sell in my country, but our country can do whatever we want in your country. There are rules. China has never played by those rules, and everybody knew it. Nobody disputed it. Administrations from both parties, the consensus politically in America was go ahead. Let's let China cheat. Let them keep stealing things because once China becomes richer and more prosperous, they will stop doing that stuff. As soon as China's economy grows big enough, not only will they stop doing all that, but they will become a democracy. prgtoken Everyone who said that was wrong. That is not what has happened. They are less ic, less open today than they used to be, and they are no longer just ste
HONORING THE LOISAIDA, INC. CENTER FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
Nydia M. Velázquez (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-5-23

I rise today to honor the Loisaida Inc. Center Festival Committee on its 31st Annual Celebration in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan, New York. The festival was initially founded by grassroot leaders in the LES and led by Puerto Rican activists and Latino residents in the 1970's during a dark period in the community. Its goal was to provide a festive local fair for underserved families who could not afford to go away for the holiday weekend. prgtoken Loisaida Inc. was formally incorporated as a local development corporation in 1978. Throughout the years, a once single block event is now a major cultural celebration attracting more than 30,000 visitors. The fair features the Nuyorican--Latin American cultural contributions to the historic immigrant tapestry of the LES. It is a chance for locals and visitors alike to enjoy day long theater, craft, music and delicious food. prgtoken This year's theme is Bridging Resurgence: From Sandy to Maria, an urgent reminder of the continuing struggles of the Puerto Rican people and New Yorkers who suffered after Sandy. The Loisaida Center remains committed to the Island's recovery as an affirmation of the neighborhood's Puerto Rican heritage. prgtoken I also want to recognize and congratulate this year's VIVA Loisaida honorees for their tireless lifetime commitment to social justice and bettering the community: Damaris Reyes, Executive Director of GOLES; Dr. Manuel Moran, Founder of Teatro SEA; Aixa O. Torres, community leader and President of Alfred E. Smith Housing Residents Association; and Luis and Abigail Rivera owners and son and daughter of Adela Fargas, beloved community icon and founder of Puerto Rican restaurant Casa Adela. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the rich history and legacy of The Loisaida Center Festival.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019
Judy Chu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-5-23

I rise in strong opposition to Mr. Gallagher's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken This harmful amendment would add language to the NDAA that specifically targets Chinese foreign nationals who receive U.S. employment or student visas for extra scrutiny by our Federal Government. If this amendment were to confine itself to the serious issue of safeguarding American interests against foreign political influence, industrial acquisitions, and regional global capabilities, it might be supportable. But this amendment specifically targets an ethnic population in this country by singling out the Chinese who participate in student visa programs and who are receiving employment visas. prgtoken While there is no doubt that we must take national security threats from foreign countries seriously, including Russia, this amendment assumes that there is widespread abuse of our visa program from China alone and attempts to paint all Chinese students, scholars, and employees, en masse, as potential spies for China. prgtoken This underlying bill already includes elements to address interstate strategic competition and does so without creating a precedent for singling out individuals because of their country of origin. We have seen how our government's policies and actions towards foreign nationals have the ability to impact Americans of certain ethnic backgrounds. prgtoken We need to look no further than the examples of Sherry Chen and Dr. Xioaxing Xi, two Chinese-American scientists who were wrongfully accused of being spies for China, only to have their charges dropped with no explanation. In fact, just this month, Sherry Chen was exonerated by a judge who said that her case was a case of gross miscarriage of justice. prgtoken It is reckless to categorize an entire country of people as a threat to our national security, and I reject these overly broad and dangerous attempts to build a case that all Chinese students and employees should be viewed with more suspicion in this country than others.
CONGRATULATING A GROUP OF OUTSTANDING STUDENTS FROM AUBURN, MASSACHUSETTS
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-5-23

I rise today to recognize and congratulate a group of outstanding students from Auburn, Massachusetts. prgtoken Students from Auburn High School's AP United States Government & Politics class traveled here to Washington, D.C. last month to take part in the ``We The People'' national finals competition. Hosted by the Center for Civic Education, this program teaches kids from across America about the importance of our founding principles. Now more than ever, we must teach our students about the value of public service. Through discussion and simulated Congressional hearings, the students got a firsthand look at the historical and contemporary debates that drive our nation's political discourse. prgtoken Auburn High School has taken part in ``We The People'' since 2011, and this is already their third time to Washington. This year, the class participated in a daylong state competition before moving on to nationals, and raised over $50,000 to help cover the cost of their trip. prgtoken The most important title in our democracy is that of citizen. We are obligated by our history to pass along to future generations the hard- fought rights and responsibilities of that citizenship. Through their hard work, these students learned that our democracy is not just an achievement, but an unending call to build a more perfect union for all. They discovered the importance of civility, compromise, and community in our politics. And they left knowing that their voices really do matter here in Washington. prgtoken , I am so proud of the hard work and determination of Samantha Barrell, Brendan Benevento, Zachary Billings, Matthew Bregman, Kayrin Brower, Jessica Chenard, Hannah Cherry, Olivia Copson, Lucas Daly, Enaira DaSilva, Marisa Day, Sydney Dinsdale, Amanda Doherty, Kathryn Dudko, Emily Frost, Jacob Landry, Brianna Leon, Savannah Louis Charles, Morgan Maher, Haydn McPherson, Tiffany Moen, Katelyn Norwood, Renee Ordway, Ana Pietrewicz, Kyle Powers, Brian Sarkisian, Jacob Stokes, Bridget White, and William Wright. Each of them represented Massachusetts with distinction and dedication, and I wish them only success in all their future endeavors.
PROFESSOR SLOCUM AND THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-5-23

I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life and legacy of Rutgers Law School Professor Alfred Slocum. prgtoken Professor Slocum was a titan in the legal and civil rights communities. While still a student at Rutgers Law, he spoke out on behalf of minorities and people of color. He worked with professors and other students to help create the Rutgers Law Minority Student Program, which is the most extensive and renowned program to train minority lawyers in this country. prgtoken During his career, Professor Slocum served many roles in the legal profession and in the public service sector. He was an executive director of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity. He served as public advocate of the State of New Jersey in 1986 and, later that year, was appointed public defender. prgtoken For 5 years, Professor Slocum championed the causes of the voiceless and the indigent. Then in 1990, he returned to law school, where he taught until retiring from the faculty in 2001. prgtoken I speak for myself, for the city of Newark, and for the State of New Jersey when I say that Professor Slocum's life was well lived. I ask my colleagues to join me in honor of this great man's legacy. prgtoken , as I mentioned, Professor Alfred Slocum was a champion for the voiceless and for people in need the people who are in the greatest need in this country rely on our social safety net for food, for shelter, for healthcare, and for many necessities that help them scrape by. We cannot leave them to despair. prgtoken These people are not just a statistic. They are not just an idea. They are human beings. They are Americans. prgtoken They are people who just need a helping hand. prgtoken I have said this before, but let me say it again. I have never met a person who wakes up in the morning and says, ``I want to be poor today.'' That is just not a reality. prgtoken Let me add this. I have never met a person who wakes up at 5 a.m. to go to her first job, comes home at 1 p.m. to take a nap, and heads out to her second job at 4 p.m yet still lives paycheck to paycheck, still relies on SNAP and Medicaid to make ends meet, but thinks to herself, ``I like to struggle.'' She does not exist, because that is just not how the world works. prgtoken Programs like SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, our entire social safety net is a supplement that helps people struggle just a little bit less. prgtoken Yet my colleagues across the aisle and their friends in the White House keep pushing the false narrative that people who rely on government assistance to make ends meet are just freeloaders who take advantage of the government handouts and buy drugs. The majority party and the 45th President keep pushing their callous, immoral narrative in order to tear apart the social safety net. prgtoken , the United States Government should be making it easier for Americans to maintain a decent standard of living. We have to protect our most vulnerable an
Secure Elections (Executive Session)
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-5-23

the right to vote is one of the most precious rights we have here in America. How we protect it is so cherished, and it is also cherished by peoples all over the world who don't get a chance to exercise that right. Our constitutional foundation is built on a process of free, fair, and unfettered elections. prgtoken Well, what happened in this country 2 years ago put a crack in that foundation, and it started to sow the seeds of doubt that, if gone unchecked, could undermine our entire democracy. After painstaking analyses by the intelligence community, which are in complete agreement--unanimous in the IC--we know that Russia interfered in our 2016 election. We know that Russia continues to meddle in the elections of not only our country now but in other countries around the world. We saw that in the elections in Europe last year. Fortunately, what they tried in France backfired on them, and they didn't get their candidate to win. We also know that if we don't act now, they are likely going to continue this interference in the elections here in this country that are coming up in just a few months. prgtoken The threat that we face today from Russia's meddling in our elections and attempting to undermine our democracy is really one of the greatest threats we face. Congress recognizes this threat, and we have taken action to protect that vote. But none of it matters if respective States will not work with us and take this threat seriously. prgtoken So last March we passed a bill that authorized $380 million to help State elections officials strengthen their elections security and update their elections equipment. Now, of the total of $380 million for the country, $19 million of it was set aside for my State, the State of Florida. While at least a dozen other States have applied for and received funding to help them protect their systems from Russian intrusion, my State of Florida hasn't even applied for one single dollar of the $19 million set aside for Florida--not one. prgtoken In fact, the government of Florida through Florida's secretary of State said recently that it is not planning to apply for any funding to improve security during the upcoming November election. Obviously, when you consider the risk and what Russia did, which the intelligence community all agree was done to us in the last election, why in the world would the State of Florida not apply for any of the $19 million set aside for our State? We know that Russia had intruded into the election mechanism and records of 21 States, and the State of Florida was one of those States. prgtoken Although we don't know what kind of interference the Russians are going to try in the upcoming November elections, we do know that Russian President Vladimir Putin--having interfered in 2016 and causing so much chaos and, therefore, attacking the very foundation of our constitutional democracy--is likely to do it again. So why wouldn't the gover