mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-3-21

I have 11 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 Budget prgtoken The Committee on Budget is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 10:30 a m. to conduct a hearing. 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, March 21, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing. Committee on Foreign Relations prgtoken The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on the following nominations Kirsten: Dawn Madison, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary (International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs), and Thomas J. Hushek, of Wisconsin, to be Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, both of the Department of State. Committee on Indian Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Indian Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing on S. 1250 and S. 2515. Committee on Indian Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Indian Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``The President's FY2019 Budget Request for Indian Programs.'' Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: Michael Y. Scudder, of Illinois, and Amy J. St. Eve, of Illinois, both to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, and Charles J. Williams, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Iowa. Committee on Veterans' Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 2 p.m. to conduct a hearing. Select Committee on Intelligence prgtoken The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a hearing. Subcommitee on Seapower prgtoken The Subcommittee on Seapower of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing on the nomination of John L. Ryder, of Tennessee, to be
OBSERVING EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY U.S.A. 2018
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-3-21

on March 27th, the United States will celebrate ``Education and Sharing Day U.S.A.'' to recognize the importance of excellence in education. Established in 1978 by a joint Congressional resolution, Education Day U.S.A. focuses on the very foundation of meaningful education: instructing our youth in the ways of morality and ethics, and teaching them an appreciation for divine inviolable values. These educational principles are vital to the success of our nation as they prepare our students for the responsibilities and opportunities of the future. Education and Sharing Day U.S.A. is celebrated on the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who dedicated his life to the betterment of mankind. The Rebbe was a tireless advocate for youth around the world, emphasizing the importance of education and good character, and instilling hope for a brighter future into countless people in America and across the globe. The Rebbe taught that education should not be limited to the acquisition of knowledge and preparation for a career; but should incorporate the building of character, with emphasis on moral and ethical values that have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws. Education and Sharing Day U.S.A. is a recognition of the importance of well-rounded education, and the contributions of the Rebbe. I am proud to observe Education and Sharing Day U.S.A. 2018.
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FRANK J. PIASECKI, SR.
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-3-21

I rise today to recognize the life of Frank J. Piasecki, of Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Piasecki passed from this life at the age of 91 years on March 5, 2018. He was a lifelong neighbor and constructive force across our community. prgtoken Born to parents Casper and Emily, Frank graduated from Woodward High School. Following his graduation he was a proud member of the United States Marine Corps and served as a gunner during World War II. After the war, on September 14, 1946, Frank and his wife Donna were married and together raised four children. Frank and Donna shared their lives together for a remarkable 71 years. prgtoken Frank Piasecki loved to repair cars, and he opened Piasecki's Service Inc, which has become a fixture in the Reynolds Corners neighborhood. A compassionate businessman dedicated to his community, Frank also served on the Reynolds Corners Adams Township Fire Department for many years. The business remains an anchor in the neighborhood, even as the next generation continues to grow it. The family's honesty and integrity are well-known. prgtoken Even while operating a business and raising a family, Frank Piasecki was a motorcycle enthusiast and enjoyed shooting, leading to his lifelong membership in the NRA and the American Motorcycle Association. In fact, during his racing days he was the 1952 winner of the Jack Pine Enduro. Frank also was involved in the Adams Conservation Club, where he coached the Junior Program. A proud veteran, Frank was long a member of American Legion Post 553. An avid bowler, Frank finally bowled a perfect game at the age of 71. prgtoken Frank Piasecki leaves a legacy through his honorable service to our nation in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, his respected records in the highly competitive world of racing, his lifetime of community minded business practices in building forward the Reynolds Corners community, and his exemplary life as a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Truly, his lasting legacy is that of his family. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife and children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many friends. We offer our sincere condolences, and hope they find comfort in the gift of Frank's life.
XUEDAN FILLMORE
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2018-3-21

I rise today to recognize and applaud Xuedan Fillmore for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Xuedan Fillmore is a student at Pomona High School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Xuedan Fillmore is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Xuedan Fillmore for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.
TRICKETT WENDLER, FRANK MONGIELLO, JORDAN McLINN, AND MATTHEW BELLINA RIGHT TO TRY ACT OF 2018
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-3-21

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , there has been a lot of misinformation spread by supporters of this legislation that FDA is a barrier to patients receiving access to these investigational treatments, and I want to be very clear that that is simply not the case. prgtoken FDA's expanded access program approves nearly all requests for investigational drugs or biologics it receives. For the past 5 years, FDA's approval rate for expanded access requests has been over 99 percent. In fiscal year 2017, as I previously mentioned, only nine individual requests were denied. prgtoken FDA also conducts its review quickly. FDA physicians are available 24 hours a day to approve any emergency expanded access requests the agency receives, typically granting emergency requests immediately, over the phone, and nonemergency requests in a median time of 4 days and, generally, no longer than 30 days. prgtoken FDA has also taken actions to streamline the expanded access request process for physicians to make it less burdensome. I think that was mentioned by Mr. Walden, the chairman. prgtoken Pharmaceutical companies can choose to deny a patient access to an experimental treatment because, for example, there is not enough of the drug available or they are concerned about dangerous side effects. The fact is, when a patient is denied access to an experimental treatment, it is because the company has said no, not the FDA. prgtoken So let's be clear as to what this legislation is. It is an attempt to undermine the authority of the expert public health agency charged with reviewing drugs to ensure their safety and efficacy. prgtoken I would urge my colleagues to oppose this grab at FDA's authority. That is really what this legislation is all about. prgtoken , .
COMMEMORATING NATIONAL AG DAY
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-3-21

as a Representative of the salad bowl of the world, the 20th Congressional District in California, I commemorate and celebrate National Ag Day. prgtoken In my district, the number one industry is agriculture, yes, because of the fertile land, but also because of the fearless attitude of farmers and farmworkers, growers, and families and friends of those in agriculture. prgtoken Having grown up on the central coast, we understand that the key to their success is based on that willingness to take risk. We know that risk-taking attitude is the foundation of our country, but since then, the seed of risk taking has been sown in our culture and spread across our agricultural community. prgtoken People in agriculture are constantly using that trait to deal with Mother Nature, to overcome government mandates, to transform for the changing market conditions, and to contend with the lack of immigration reform right here in Congress. prgtoken Nevertheless, with that risk-taking attitude, people in agriculture don't shrink from those challenges; they stand up to them. That is why they not only survive, they succeed. That is why we in Congress shouldn't just recognize people in agriculture today; we should learn from them every day.
ALLOW STATES AND VICTIMS TO FIGHT ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2017
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-3-21

from Ohio for his gracious comments. prgtoken I just simply want to say my part as to why it is so important that we pass this legislation, because it is very obvious that an untold number of women and children in the United States are being sold into sexual slavery via the internet, and we now have an opportunity to do something about it by passing this legislation. prgtoken It is so bad. With just a few clicks or a few punches on an iPhone, victims from all walks of life and across all parts of the country are being forced into brutal slavery and unspeakable crimes. prgtoken I want to repeat that. I want Americans to understand what is going on behind the scenes. Women and children are being forced into sex slavery in modern-day America. It could very well happen to someone you know. prgtoken We have continuing stories in our history of what happened when slavery was brought to the New World--first, to Arabia, off the East Coast of Africa, and then, of course, the European nations later were going down with their ship captains. The Portuguese actually ended up having the most slaves transported to the New World by way of South America. The English and most European nations got into the act of these unspeakable crimes, slave ships going down the west coast of Africa, enslaving Africans themselves or by agreement with a particular tribe that would go out and capture members of an opposing tribe. prgtoken We have heard, over and over, the untold stories of the inhumanity of stacking people body-to-body in the holds of these slave ships. It finally took a civil war to settle the issue. That was slavery. That was slavery we opposed and now all of our laws try to protect against, but here in modern-day America, the same thing is happening, and it is happening because of the advances of technology using the internet. If this is not a wake-up call, I simply don't know what is. prgtoken According to the human trafficking hotline, my State of Florida has consistently ranked in the top five States in human trafficking cases. Florida was third in the country for the number of cases reported in 2016 and 2017, and that is just what we know about. It is just unacceptable, and it is wrong. prgtoken Tens of thousands of Americans, predominantly women and children, are subjected to this horrific reality. You can imagine the pain and the suffering they are subjected to. No one in the country should have to endure this kind of forced slavery. No child or woman in Florida, in America, should ever be trafficked for sex. To even contemplate that should offend any person's sense of decency and humanity. prgtoken The question before the Senate today, thanks to the leadership of a number of our colleagues is, Why aren't we going to do everything we can to stop these heinous crimes? prgtoken The bill we are considering on the Senate floor would help us shut down despicable websites that enable this sex
RECOGNIZING SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-3-21

today, as the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I wish to recognize America's small business development centers, SBDC, and the vital role this national business assistance and counseling network plays in supporting economic development, job creation, and success at our Main Street small businesses. prgtoken The mission of the nationwide SBDC network is to help America's entrepreneurs realize the dream of businessownership and assist existing small businesses in adapting to the changing marketplace and compete in the global economy. prgtoken SBDCs are hosted by universities, colleges, and State economic development agencies and funded in part by our Small Business Administration. There are nearly 1,000 SBDC service centers and 4,000 SBDC consultants available to provide free and low-cost business consulting and training to help entrepreneurs write a business plan, access capital, market their products, and recover when a disaster strikes. prgtoken SBDCs offer a great return on investment for taxpayers. It is estimated that SBDC small business clients create a new job every 5 minutes and a new business every 30 minutes and generate $100,000 in capital every 10 minutes. Job growth for SBDC clients is more than 14 times higher than job growth for an average business. prgtoken Last year, the Maryland SBDC at the University of Maryland in College Park assisted almost 8,000 businesses, counseled 2,200 entrepreneurs, and helped train nearly 5,700 businessowners. Small business services provided by the Maryland SBDC led to the creation of 208 businesses and 1,251 jobs and access to $49 million in capital. prgtoken Behind the statistics are real Marylanders who realized their small business dream with the help of an SBDC consultant, like a women-owned restaurant in Baltimore called Flavor. prgtoken In 2015, Julia and Vanna Belton went to their local SBDC office for help securing a business loan. After months of tinkering with their business plan and adjusting their loan paperwork, their SBDC consultant guided Julia and Vanna to approval on an $800,000 SBA loan they used to purchase and renovate a building for their restaurant. prgtoken Today, the restaurant has $1.2 million in revenue and 30 full and part-time employees. Last year, they were named Maryland's ``2017 Women-owned Business of the Year.'' prgtoken Flavor is just one of the millions of small businesses and entrepreneurs who have been touched by America's Small business development centers over the last 35 years. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the dedicated men and women of America's small business development center network and to thank them for their commitment to the small businesses that drive the American economy. prgtoken Thank you.
TRICKETT WENDLER, FRANK MONGIELLO, JORDAN McLINN, AND MATTHEW BELLINA RIGHT TO TRY ACT OF 2018
Doris O. Matsui (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-3-21

I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. prgtoken , I rise in opposition to H.R. 5247, the so-called right- to-try legislation. This bill does not give patients the right to try; rather, it gives patients the right to request, which fails to address real barriers to accessing experimental drugs such as drug costs or company restrictions. prgtoken I will reiterate that patients already have the right to try through an expedited process that approves 99 percent of requests it receives. This legislation, however, fails to recognize that, if a patient is denied access, it is usually because a drug manufacturer says no due to manufacturer concerns about safety or side effects, not because the FDA denied a request. prgtoken I know, like everyone else, I have heard from many constituents suffering from terminal illnesses such as ALS who are desperate for cures; and I believe that every single one of us in this Chamber has confronted, in some way, a family member--mother, father, spouse--who had, heartbreakingly, an illness that had no cure. We have gone through the process many times, and I think we all have felt desperate from time to time. prgtoken However, having said that, just because a person at the end has no hope, to try something that might make things worse so you cannot go on to a more peaceful resolution would be hurtful not only to the patient, but to the family. prgtoken Opening up unregulated pathways to drugs after only a phase 1 clinical trial may expose patients to severe and unpredictable side effects. This bill would prevent FDA from documenting these side effects and, worse, would prevent FDA from protecting other patients from a similar fate. prgtoken When a loved one is in pain, the last thing a family wants is to cause further suffering. We need clinical trials to ensure drugs are safe and effective and to find real cures for patients, and we need the FDA to be a part of the process as a matter of patient protection for all. prgtoken Rescinding any FDA oversight on unproven therapies that have not undergone multiple clinical trials is a slippery slope. The expedited process we have now is working, and I cannot support a bill that offers a ``right to ask'' alongside proposals that could be dangerous for all. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-3-21

today I wish to honor the memory of the late Robert Joseph Burke of Hoboken, NJ, who passed away last month. On this day, March 21, 2018, Mr. Burke would have celebrated his 85th birthday. I had the pleasure of knowing Robert Burke personally, and I know that his legacy will continue to be celebrated through the times he shared with us. prgtoken Mr. Burke was born in Yonkers, NY in 1933. He served our Nation in the U.S. Army during the Korean war. After his military service, Robert led a successful business career as the chief executive officer of Union Dry Dock & Repair and the chairman of the Board of Hudson United Bancorp. Burke was also active within the Irish-American community through the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in New York City. prgtoken Robert was a beloved husband to his wife, Mariella, and a dedicated father to his five children Mary Lou Kenny, Robert P. Burke, Laureen Flock, Susan Quinn, and Claudia Cytrynbaum. Robert had 15 grandchildren, and I have no doubt that his memory lives on through each and every one of them.
ALLOW STATES AND VICTIMS TO FIGHT ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2017
Heidi Heitkamp (Democrat, ND) \u2014 2018-3-21

I am so proud to stand here with my five colleagues, but I also have to acknowledge the one who is not here; that is, Senator John McCain, who has been an absolute champion, along with his wife, on attacking this problem. Five years ago when I met Cindy McCain, one of the first things she said was, what can we do about this? prgtoken Working within the Homeland Security Committee, where so much of this work got done--both in the Homeland Security Committee and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations--I can't say enough about the commitment of that committee but more importantly the commitment of the leadership of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, both Senator Portman and Senator McCaskill, who worked in tandem, who engaged their very capable staff, who did the investigations that led to the exposure of the issues and led to a bipartisan commitment to develop and pass this bill. prgtoken I do want to say that I know that John and Cindy are with us today in spirit. I know that Cindy is probably watching because she is very, very excited that finally we are going to get this done. This is such an important tool. This is such an important piece of stopping human trafficking, which has been her lifelong objective and passion. Today, we stand not just with our colleagues who are here on the floor but also with our great friend, Senator John McCain, and his beautiful, active, and wonderful wife, Cindy McCain. prgtoken The other reason I am very proud is that this is why I came to the Senate--to work across the aisle to address major issues and challenges, to make a difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable human beings in our country. prgtoken We are here today on the cusp of passing a bill that will provide victims a real opportunity to seek justice and recover damages from websites that profited from their pain of being sold for sex, while also providing new tools to prosecutors, including my former colleagues, the State attorneys general, to go after these sites and their owners. prgtoken Again, I thank Senator Portman and Senator Blumenthal for their tireless work in trying to fashion the right mix of understanding the importance of the Communications Decency Act to the development of this tool we call the internet but also making sure this is not used as a tool for incredibly bad actors who would prey on the most vulnerable among us. prgtoken Driving this bill and forging a compromise was not easy. This was not easy. No one should think that this came together easily or that we didn't have many moments where we did our own soul-searching, those of us who are committed to the First Amendment and those of us who are committed to free access of means to express our opinions and do our business. prgtoken What I will tell you is that this is a big thing. This isn't a little thing. This is a big thing--not only because we are doing it in a bipartisan way but also because