hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E364] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Ms. STEFANIK: I rise today to honor the extraordinary service of Sheriff Patrick A. Russo. Sheriff Russo has spent the past 48 years protecting his local community with both the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office and the Troy Police Department. Sheriff Russo spent the first 10 years of his career working as a police officer in the Troy Police Department before being promoted to a Uniformed Sergeant. Ten years later, he was promoted once more to the role of Detective Sergeant, where he served as the head of the Special Operations Section's Narcotics unit. In this role, Sheriff Russo supervised all narcotic investigations and oversaw a multi- jurisdictional task force, which coordinated operations with local, state, and federal agencies. Following his time with the Troy Police Department, Sheriff Russo joined the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office and served as county Undersecretary for 19 years before being elected to County Sheriff in 2015. During his tenure, Sheriff Russo made major strides in increasing inter-agency cooperation aimed at attacking the drug problem within Rensselaer County. He also focused on developing new programs for both youths and senior citizens meant to facilitate community engagement and communication. Sheriff Russo's dedication to the protection and support of his community extended far beyond his work in law enforcement. He was a member of several community organizations, including the City of Troy Labor Management Committee, the Charter Revision Committee, and the Rensselaer County Alternatives to Incarceration Board. Sheriff Russo also served as the Chairman of the Troy Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, the Housing Authority Public Safety Committee, and the Housing Authority Tenant Relations Committee. Whether in his private or professional life, Sheriff Russo continually demonstrated his commitment to improving the lives of his fellow Rensselaer County residents. Over the course of Sheriff Russo's 48 years of service, he received numerous honors recognizing his extraordinary impact. While with the Troy Police Department, he was named the recipient of the 1985 John J. Givney Police Award, recognizing him as Troy's police officer of the year. He also received various other honors during his career for his dedication to combatting illegal drugs within Rensselaer County. Sheriff Patrick Russo's unwavering dedication to the members of his community has left a legacy that will continue to remain long after his retirement. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I am honored to celebrate and remember his distinguished career.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E364] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. LAMBORN: I include in the Record the following Proclamation on ``EndJewHatredDay.'' Whereas, hate crimes targeting the Jewish community continue to rise in the United States, we must strongly condemn any and all acts of antisemitism; and Whereas, April 29, 2023, marks the recognition of the second annual ``EndJewHatredDay,'' where individuals throughout the United States unite to end all forms of antisemitism and bigotry towards the Jewish community; and Whereas, we must all commit to protect the Jewish community and respect Jewish culture as a crucial element of America's religious freedoms; and Whereas, ``EndJewHatredDay'' shall serve as a day where we mourn the trauma and history of hatred against the Jewish people and vow for these actions to ``never again'' be repeated. Proclaimed, that I, Congressman Doug Lamborn and the 5th Congressional District of Colorado shall wholeheartedly condemn antisemitism in all forms and declare every April 29 to be ``EndJewHatredDay.''
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E364] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Ms. STRICKLAND: I rise today to commemorate National Infertility Awareness Week. Started in 1989, we salute the parents, doctors, researchers, and others for working to destigmatize infertility and bring awareness to the many barriers people face when trying to start and build their families. Most Americans are not aware that approximately one in five Americans are impacted by infertility. The disease affects both men and women of all races, religious backgrounds, and economic status. Through the revolutionary contributions of research scientists and considerable medical advancements, fertility treatments have vastly improved since the first successful in vitro fertilization pregnancy and live birth occurred in 1978. Such advancements include early infertility detection through detailed and data-driven testing, advanced egg-freezing technology, and progressive procedures that allow young cancer patients to preserve their fertility prior to undergoing lifesaving chemotherapy treatments. Organizations like RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association advocate for millions of individuals and couples in this country who need medical assistance to have a family. Other groups, such as the Military Family Building Coalition (MFBC), have focused on raising awareness for active duty servicemembers and their spouses facing unique challenges with family building. They are actively working to bring awareness to these unique challenges and advance laws and policies that will help our servicemembers sacrificing for our country achieve their dream of building or expanding their own family. The Alliance for Fertility Preservation stresses the importance of affordable fertility preservation options for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. In fact, in the absence of comprehensive and reliable fertility preservation and family building healthcare coverage, the option of having children may not otherwise be available for millions of Americans without the financial assistance of organizations like RESOLVE, AFP, and MFBC, and countless other worthwhile organizations. While advancements have been a substantial step forward for family building, significant medical, financial, and health equity barriers still exist for others who require medical assistance to combat infertility. During this National Infertility Awareness Week, I call on my colleagues in Congress to do more to remove many of the barriers that currently exist for those experiencing infertility challenges in their pursuit of having a child. The ability to have children and the timing of building a family is a basic human right, and thus we must work together to pass legislation to create a path for these American families.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E363-E364] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Ms. SALAZAR: Florida International University (FIU) is one of the top universities in the Nation, and the presence of the Florida Small Business Development Center (FSBDC) at FIU has had a great impact on the South Florida economy. Established under FJU's College of Business in 2014, the Center is a team of highly experienced business consultants providing assistance and training to entrepreneurs and business owners in Miami-Dade County to help them start, grow, and succeed. It is vital that individuals starting a business have access to resources that will help ensure their long-term success. The FSBDC at FIU works one-on-one with Miami-Dade County small businesses providing startup assistance, access to capital, marketing. financial management, international trade, human resources, and business strategy advising. Since its inception in 2014, the FSBDC at FIU has delivered more than 112,900 hours of consulting to 6,964 Miami-Dade County small businesses, resulting in business owners securing over $425 million in capital, securing $287.5 million in government contracts, increasing sales by $379.2 million, impacting 28,829 jobs, and launching 415 new businesses. In my district alone, the Florida SBDC at FIU provided 3,859 consulting hours to 490 local small businesses in 2022. Additionally, last year the center assisted entrepreneurs in Florida's 27th Congressional district to launch 25 new businesses; secure $23.5 million in capital; and obtain $18.9 million in government contracts. On April 10, 2023 the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the Center as thewinner of the 2023 Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award, which recognizes the country's top small business center. Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to the success of the Center. They are incredibly deserving of this award.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E363] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. ARRINGTON: I rise today to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Hardin Simmons Cowboy Band from West Texas. The Cowboy Band has represented Abilene in 42 states and 17 countries. They have been a pivotal staple in countless celebrations and exciting events, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, six Presidential Inaugural Parades, 11 Gubernatorial Parades, and Texas' Cotton Bowl Parade. Regardless of where they play, I'm thankful that these God-fearing, freedom-loving young men and women will always call West Texas home. Congratulations to Hardin Simmons University and its beloved Cowboy Band for reaching this important milestone. God bless and go West Texas.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E363] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. BURLISON: I rise today to recognize the World War II achievements of U.S. Army Master Sergeant, Retired, Louis Graziano who is celebrating his 100th birthday this year. Mr. Graziano joined the U.S. Army in January 1943. After his basic training, he made the Atlantic crossing to the United Kingdom on the Queen Mary with 16,000 other American troops. A major storm hit during the crossing and nearly capsized the ship about 700 miles off the coast of Scotland. Once safely ashore, he boarded a train for Camp Weston in Crewe, England, where he was placed in Headquarters OISE Section Command Z to continue his combat training. While there, he was approached by a general who sent him to London on a special mission for the Army. To this day, Mr. Graziano has not revealed the contents of this classified mission to anyone. Returning from London after six weeks, Mr. Graziano was made a Utilities-NCO Sergeant overseeing 35 men who were tasked with erecting accommodations for the large number of arriving troops. This effort earned him the nickname, the ``Mayor of Tent City.'' Mr. Graziano's next assignment was to travel 700 miles south to board landing ships that would take him and his fellow soldiers across the English Channel for a coming invasion. Little did Mr. Graziano know that he would be landing in the third wave on Omaha Beach in Normandy, as part of history's largest seaborn invasion. Facing machine gun fire as he drove his gasoline truck off the LST, he and those with him scrambled to the limited safety of a cliff, only to take fire from German troops from a cliff-side bunker. Mr. Graziano smartly grabbed a flamethrower and set fire to the grass under the bunker forcing the Germans out of its protection. Mr. Graziano later suffered severe frostbite during the Battle of the Bulge and spent three weeks recovering in an infirmary avoiding the amputation of both feet. Mr. Graziano subsequently landed in France where his unit set up Special Headquarters Command in Reims, where he oversaw maintenance of all the facilities. While there, he was privileged to witness the historic occasion of Germany's unconditional surrender in Europe, signing the German Instrument of Surrender at General Eisenhower's Headquarters on May 7, 1945. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Master Sergeant Graziano, a brave hero and a great American, for his commitment to freedom. Without brave men like him, our world would look much different today. Please join me in thanking him for his brave contributions to America.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E363] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Ms. LOIS FRANKEL : on Roll Call votes 193 and 194, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``AYE.''
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E362-E363] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. DAVIS : I rise today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Food Bank of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Since the food bank started serving its local community 40 years ago, it has been striving to ensure neighbors, friends, and families always have a meal. Since its early days, the Food Bank of the Albemarle has distributed more than 46 million meals to hungry men, women, and children in15 counties across northeast North Carolina. What started as a small, humble operation has become an essential food source for the region. The food bank is well on its way to becoming a ``nutrition bank,'' as it now boasts a newly expanded facility, including a Teaching Kitchen. On Wednesday, April 5, 2023, the Food Bank hosted a 40th-anniversary celebration for the community, which included a tour of the new facility, food to enjoy, and the return of their renowned Sort-A-Rama food packing competition: ``Pack Madness.'' The competition consisted of twelve teams bagging up as many apples as possible in under 45 minutes--some healthy competition is always good when it ultimately helps feed our local communities. The Food Bank of the Albemarle and its volunteers have made it their mission to help anyone in need, and northeastern North Carolina is better because of it. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the Food Bank of the Albemarle on its 40 years of service. I know volunteers will continue their phenomenal work, and I cannot wait for them to celebrate another 40 years of service to the region.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E362] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. CONNOLLY: I have worked on issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for over four decades since I began as a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1979. Israel, led by leaders like Golda Meir and Moshe Dayan, was David fighting Goliath--a young, bold democracy under threats from every direction. Israel has long been America's strongest ally, and our support for Israel's democracy, economic stability, and defense is ironclad. On the 75th anniversary of Israel's independence, I am proud to vote for a resolution that supports this remarkable milestone. With that said, I am extremely disappointed that the resolution missed a crucial opportunity. The juxtaposition is startling: This resolution presumes business as usual when it is anything but. We have reached an inflection point in the U.S.-Israel relationship. For 70 years, we have found common cause with Israel because they have been the only democracy in the Middle East. For the first time in our history, an Israeli Prime Minister has put bipartisan support for Israel in jeopardy by exploiting partisan fissures within the United States, rejecting the notion of a two-state solution and opting to advance his own right-wing political agenda. Netanyahu's cabinet of right-wing extremists has put the very rights and political inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals, women, secular Jews, Palestinians, and Arabs alike in peril. As the United States continues to play a crucial role in supporting Israel, on a bipartisan basis, we must be clear that an aggressive anti-democratic tilt in Israel threatens our strong, longstanding partnership based on shared democratic values. The resolution unfortunately did not mention the longstanding, bipartisan support for a two-state solution, nor did it condemn attacks against Israel's democratic institutions, including an independent judiciary, and incitements of violence against Palestinians. When Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made comments on March 3, 2023, suggesting the Palestinian city Huwara ``needs to be wiped out, but the State of Israel needs to do it,'' Arab nations involved in the Abraham Accords immediately condemned this abhorrent incitement of violence. To be clear, the actions of Ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich to bless settler violence, incite violence against Palestinians, and threaten annexation of large portions of the West Bank imperil the Abraham Accords themselves, let alone the prospects for expansion to other Arab nations. I will cast my vote in support of Israel and the Abraham Accords, with great concern. My hope is that constructive U.S. engagement, and the will of the Israeli people in favor of a peaceful, demilitarized, democratic Jewish state, will be the forces that prevail.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E362] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Ms. ROSS: I missed votes on April 25, 2023 due to a family medical situation. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 193 and YEA on Roll Call No. 194.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E362] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. GARAMENDI: today I reintroduce legislation that would standardize and streamline military base access for designated support personnel across the Nation. I thank my colleague Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ01) for being the bill's original cosponsor. Our outstanding service members require and deserve a great amount of backing. Every day, civilians access bases to provide services, transport goods, or conduct training. Unfortunately. from state to state--or even facility to facility--there are different standards of bureaucracy that these support workers must deal with. The Base Access Privileges Improvement Act will create an overarching set of access standards for people with constant, legitimate need to access military installations. For truckers who already carry national identification credentials, they will be able to streamline delivery of household goods to military members on base. For union workers who are training or repairing systems, it will make the time spent getting on base more efficient and effective. As Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, I'm critically aware that the military requires support from the Nation. Military installations are secure for a good reason: our service members maintain a constant state of preparedness. However, for those civilians who are already appropriately vetted and cleared, we must ease the burdens currently in place for their access to do the job we've asked and the military needs. Military bases can maintain the highest level of scrutiny for those seeking access, while still equalizing the requirements across the nation. Adding access permissions for those already thoroughly screened will help make our military a more lethal force. The legislation I reintroduce today would ensure just that.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E362] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. HUDSON: I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Coach Todd Maness. A beloved member of our community, Coach Maness' life was marked by his dedicated mentorship as a football coach. Coach Maness' strong work ethic and passion for football were evident at a young age. A standout fullback and middle linebacker at North Moore High School, he made up for his lack of size with spirit and determination. He attended Wingate University to play football before he was injured in a car accident during his sophomore year that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Despite this overwhelming setback, Coach Maness took up coaching to satisfy his passion for football. He served as an assistant coach for the North Moore High School football team for over 10 years before moving to coach at the middle school and youth level where he was the head coach for the Broncos in the Sandhills Optimist youth football league. Coach Maness was also a dedicated artist. Determined to continue making art after his injury, he adopted a new painting style where he held the paintbrush in his mouth to accommodate his disability. Having coached football in Moore County over the span of three decades, Coach Maness was known for his resiliency, positive attitude, and excellent leadership. In addition to instructing players on skills and strategy, he was praised for his commitment to teaching the importance of good character and sportsmanship as well as techniques to improve player safety. Through his strength and determination in the face of adversity, Coach Maness set an excellent example for his players and peers both on and off the field. Sadly, Coach Maness passed away on March 28, 2023, at the age of 51. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who knew and loved him. Coach Maness' passion for football and commitment to teaching others represents the very best of our community. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy, and I join our entire community in gratitude as we honor his extraordinary life. Mr. Speaker, please join me today in honoring the life and legacy of Coach Todd Maness.