mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. GLENN BLODGETT
Ronny Jackson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Glenn Blodgett of Guthrie, Texas. Affectionately known as ``Doc Blodgett,'' Dr. Blodgett was a skilled horseman and veterinarian whose passion for horses motivated him through an extensive career in the equine industry. prgtoken Dr. Blodgett began working at the Burnett Ranches, which included the legendary Four Sixes Ranch, in 1982, and continued to work until he passed away in November of 2022. Dr. Blodgett served as the ranch veterinarian and manager of the horse division for the Four Sixes Ranch for 40 years while also serving on the board of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. As the head of the horse division at the Four Sixes, Dr. Blodgett made the ranch an industry leader in equine embryo transfer and artificial insemination by consistently producing and developing some of the most highly recognized racing and western performance American Quarter Horses in the world. He dedicated his career and life to the betterment of horses and constantly sought to improve the practice of equine medicine. prgtoken Born in Spearman, Texas and raised in the Panhandle, Dr. Blodgett discovered his passion for equine medicine early in life which led him to complete his undergraduate degree at Oklahoma State University and his veterinary degree at Texas A&M University. He continued his educational advocacy and support of the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine while mentoring young people and helping foster their passion for horses and veterinary careers. prgtoken Dr. Blodgett's years of service are reflected by his numerous positions and collected accolades. To name a few, Dr. Blodgett was appointed to the first Texas Horse Racing Commission in 1988; was named the Texas Veterinary Medical Association's equine practitioner of the year in 1990; became director of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) in 1991; served as a vice chairman for the Texas Horse Racing Commission from 1993 to 1995; became director-at-large of the AQHA in 2011; became the 65th President of the AQHA in 2015; and was the recipient of the 2017 National Golden Spur Award which is the most prestigious honor given to a member of the livestock and ranching industries. Dr. Blodgett was also inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2019 and the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2021. prgtoken Aside from his steadfast involvement in Texas racing, Dr. Blodgett was instrumental in the passing of parimutuel horse racing and pushed other legislative efforts which will be felt by the racing industry for generations to come. Dr. Blodgett was an industry leader and trailblazer; leaving some very large boots to fill. As his daughter described, Dr. Blodgett was ``quiet, gentle, and patient'' and ``had a special love for all animals and had a way of communicating with them like no other.'' prgtoken Dr. Blodgett was laid to rest in Guthrie, Texas on November 26, 2022, surrounded by family a
JACKIE WALORSKI MATERNAL AND CHILD HOME VISITING REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022
Ron Estes (Republican, KS) \u2014 2022-12-2

I rise today to honor our friend and colleague, Jackie Walorski, with a cause that was near to her heart, the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, also known as the MIECHV program. prgtoken Jackie lived a life of service, not just as a Member of the House of Representatives, but as a missionary for 4 years in Romania where, not surprisingly, she worked with a lot of children. She championed children and families in her role on the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee, and always advocated for the Hoosiers she represented. prgtoken In her honor today, we're going to pass this critical bipartisan legislation reauthorizing a program that its whole purpose is to ensure that mothers and children do not fall through the cracks. Families will be able to be met where they are and connected to a host of support systems. prgtoken Earlier this year, I visited with some early childhood supporters in Wichita, and the MIECHV program was something that they repeatedly told me was important for the work they do and the families they serve. prgtoken I look forward to seeing strong bipartisan support today to pass this bill, lift up children and families, and honor our friend, Jackie.
RECOGNIZING COUNTY COMMISSIONER GREG TOMPKINS
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Republican, WA) \u2014 2022-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to honor my dear friend, Walla Walla County Commissioner Greg Tompkins. On December 31, 2022, Mr. Tompkins will retire from public service, marking the end of a long, impactful career devoted to the people and community of Walla Walla County. prgtoken Greg has long-been an inspiring leader whom I have had the honor to work with for many years. He first earned the people's trust when he was elected to serve as a county commissioner in January 2003. From day one, Greg worked hard to deliver results for the people who call Walla Walla County home, which earned him the support to serve two more terms before retiring--for the first time--in 2014. prgtoken Just four short years later, Greg answered the call to serve--again-- following the unexpected passing of his friend and colleague on the county commission, Jim Duncan. He served the remainder of this term as passionately as he did his first three, before seeking re-election to a final term that will come to a close at the end of this year. prgtoken Madam , I have met few people more dedicated to serving Walla Walla County and Eastern Washington than Greg Tompkins. For 16 years, he proved himself to be someone our community could count on. His work on numerous local and state government committees have yielded incredible results on issues related to housing, emergency services, behavioral health, and many other important challenges residents face. Greg is the embodiment of a public servant whose mission was to leave a lasting impression on the world--a mission our community would proudly say he accomplished. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Greg Tompkins for his many years of service to the government and people of Walla Walla County. Together, let us celebrate his faithful service to Eastern Washington and the United States of America by congratulating him on his well- earned retirement.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-12-2

. I thank the gentleman for yielding. The gentleman is absolutely correct. There is a shot clock. It is September 30 at midnight. That is the shot clock. That is when government no longer is funded if we do not take some additional action. prgtoken I said to somebody this morning, there are 535 of us. Presumably we are all adults, presumably we are all rational people. Neither side would agree that everybody is that. But the fact of the matter is, we don't do what we know we have to do. You may want to do a lot of things, and we passed from our perspective very good legislation through this Congress, but the only thing you have to do is pass the 12 appropriations bills so you can fund the operations of government or make a decision that you are not going to fund a department, a program, an activity, whatever. But we don't do that. prgtoken We have, unfortunately, the sense that the delay is an acceptable process, as the gentleman points out. Then you get to the last minute, a crisis, and then you get a big bill we call the omnibus bill, that really it is so large and so few people have been participating in the formulation of that bill that it is unfair to the Members of Congress, and it is unfair to the American people. prgtoken I couldn't agree with the gentleman more that the appropriation process should be done, my own view is each bill should be considered individually. The s started the practice, we followed the same practice of bundling them so we could save time. I look forward to working with the gentleman. I am going back to the Appropriations Committee, working with Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member DeLauro on doing that. But to her credit, all 12 bills were reported out of committee in a timely fashion, and this is gratuitous--you didn't ask for this advice--but what I would suggest we should have done if we could have done it is start the markups in May, pass the bills in June, send them to the Senate, and have July and August and September to resolve differences between the two, and pass the bills by September 30. That is what we ought to do, I agree with the gentleman. It is an objective that we ought to try to attain.
JACKIE WALORSKI MATERNAL AND CHILD HOME VISITING REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-12-2

I rise in support of H.R. 8876 The Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022, which reauthorizes a modification and an increase in funding to the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. prgtoken Specifically, the Act would set requirements for allocating program funds, increase the percentage of funds reserved for tribal entities, establish a publicly available dashboard that reports program outcomes, and allows for vital home visits. prgtoken Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, in whose honor this bill was named, was a champion for women, children, and families who inspired this pivotal piece of legislation. prgtoken Her dedication and commitment to the health of children, families and future mothers will live on through the passage of the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act. prgtoken The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program supports pregnant people and parents with young children who live in communities that encounter greater risks and barriers to achieving positive maternal and child health outcomes. prgtoken Home visits help communities and families through development of strong relationships and trust by meeting regularly and addressing family needs. prgtoken These home visitors encourage early language development and early learning at home, teach positive parenting skills, help families set goals for the future, connect families to other services and resources in their community, and support future mothers by teaching healthy pregnancy practices. prgtoken These tailored programs focus on empowering the wellbeing of families and children and help reduce crime and domestic violence at home, improve family economic self-sufficiency and improve maternal and newborn health. prgtoken In the U.S two-thirds of pregnancy related deaths are preventable and for every pregnancy-related death, there are 70 pregnancy-related near-death experiences. prgtoken There is a severe gap in care that is contributing to these avoidable casualties. It's extremely important that we remove barriers in health care that may be contributing to these deaths. prgtoken In comparison to other industrialized nations, the United States has been trending downward when it comes to maternal health, and the numbers continue to get worse. prgtoken According to the World Health Organization, from 1990 to 2015 maternal mortality rates increased by 16.7 percent in the United States. prgtoken In the rest of the world maternal mortality decreased during that same period. prgtoken In 2020, 861 women died of maternal causes in the U.S. That equates to 861 women who planned on living full, healthy lives and planned on being parents to the children they carried for 9 long months. prgtoken That's 861 children who must grow up without their parent. That's 861 families that are forever altered. That's a medical system and society that has failed 861 women.
JACKIE WALORSKI MATERNAL AND CHILD HOME VISITING REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022
Judy Chu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-12-2

it was such an honor to work closely with the late Representative Jackie Walorski. I was consistently struck by her dedication to her district and deep desire to find ways to make our healthcare system work for everyone. prgtoken On the Ways and Means Committee, in particular, she and I worked together to co-lead bills on breast cancer equity and on medical nutrition therapy for those in the Medicare program with eating disorders. prgtoken I also had the pleasure of co-chairing the Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus with her to help educate Members of Congress on the various ways that integrative health can help support our traditional medical system and lead to improved care for patients. prgtoken I am thrilled that we are honoring her legacy with today's bill which reauthorizes the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, or MIECHV. This bill also increases for the first time in a decade Federal investments into the program. prgtoken Home visiting for pregnant women and families with young children have a proven record of improving outcomes for children's health, well- being, and readiness for school. But currently, less than 5 percent of eligible families each year have access to the program, including in my own district in Los Angeles County. An estimated 37,000 families were served through evidence-based home visiting models in 2021 alone, but 750,000 more families were eligible for services during this same time but could not receive them. prgtoken In addition, recruitment and retention of home visitors are key challenges to adequately serving families. Low wages and poor benefits for the prgtoken field is a main driver of these challenges, and additional funding is needed to address these workforce challenges and provide competitive wages to these vital providers. That is why I am so excited about the investments in this bill which will help increase capacity to serve those in need. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOY FOR JOY CAMPAIGN
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-12-2

I want to take this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations to the Springfield, Massachusetts, Citadel of the Salvation Army, The newspaper, El Pueblo Latino MassLive, Reminder Publishing, and The Westfield News upon the occasion of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Toy for Joy campaign. prgtoken Founded in the early 1920s by the Bowles family, the Toy for Joy program has been a century-long collaboration between The Salvation Army and The , with roots going back to The Daily News and the Union News, providing toys and books to children in need throughout the Pioneer Valley. prgtoken Sustained by the spirit of giving through periods of war, economic depression, and health crises, Toy for Joy has benefited thousands of families when they needed it most. prgtoken Thanks to the hard work of countless volunteers, along with the generosity of the people of western Massachusetts, Toy for Joy has continued to fulfill its mission of bringing Christmas joy to the children of our region during the holiday season. prgtoken Toy for Joy is a cherished initiative in western and central Massachusetts, and I, like others, want to wish it many more years of success and prosperity.
HONORING DELLIE C. ROBINSON
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2022-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to honor a tenacious and self-motivated leader, Dellie C. Robinson. Dellie C. Robinson has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve success. prgtoken Robinson, the longtime Vicksburg High School (VHS) boys' basketball coach, led the Gators to the 2003 MHSAA Class 5A Championship, and to the state championship game in 2011 and 2014, during a 25-year run. prgtoken Robinson won nearly 800 games in almost 30 years as a coach at VHS and Canton High School. He was at VHS from 1992 to 2017 and won more than 400 games there. prgtoken Robinson was known as one of the best basketball coaches in Mississippi, and he was inducted into the 2022 Vicksburg Warren School District Athletic Hall of Fame. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dellie C. Robinson for his passion and dedication to the Vicksburg Warren School District.
REMEMBERING JUDY ACKERMAN
Veronica Escobar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-12-2

on Sunday, November 6, El Paso lost a beautiful soul, the beloved Judy Ackerman, who had been battling cancer since 2015. prgtoken A veteran who served our country, a conservationist who loved the outdoors and the Chihuahuan Desert, she was always ready for a hike. She was a relentless activist who was never seen without a petition in hand fighting for the integrity of our natural spaces and our beautiful community on the border. Judy's legacy is one that El Pasoans will never forget. prgtoken Judy dedicated 20 years of her life to the preservation of the Castner Range in El Paso, and her advocacy has brought us closer than ever to protecting this crown jewel of west Texas. prgtoken Today, we honor her service to our country, to conservation, and to El Paso. prgtoken Thank you for being my friend and thank you for being the best friend our community could ever have. You will never be forgotten.
HONORING DR. ERIKA HENDEL AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK
Cynthia Axne (Democrat, IA) \u2014 2022-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Doctor Erika Hendel as Iowan of the Week. Erika is the co-chair of the Iowa Queer Communities of Color Coalition, board member of the Des Moines Pride Center, and in their free time manages to work as a veterinarian. June is Pride Month, and the purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. Erika has been a tireless advocate for the LGTBQ community and truly encapsulates the meaning of Pride Month. prgtoken Erika was a founding member and now sits as co-chair of The Iowa Queer Communities of Color Coalition (IQCC). The Iowa Queer Communities of Color's mission is to use an intersectional lens to address the inequity of services, lack of support and space, socioeconomic disparities, and institutional racism experienced by our communities through education, advocacy, intentional inclusivity, and organizing. Erika has always been involved in LGBTQ advocacy but knew that visibility is important. As Asian American. Erika has lived in Iowa for 5\1/2\ years, but it was a difficult transition coming from some of the other diverse places that they have lived. This led Erika to get even more involved in the community and become the co-chair of the IQCC. Erika found that it made the most sense of community with the diversity that they have experienced in the queer organizations in the city. Erika is looking to address the question of how to create a system of support. That is a goal that Erika is looking to work towards in Des Moines through continued advocacy. prgtoken Additionally, Erika is a board member of the Des Moines Pride Center, an organization dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and their families prgtoken as well as our allies in the Greater Des Moines area. They offer a safe environment for community members to visit with a large library and free Wi-Fi. The community center also serves as a meeting place for other non-profit organizations with similar missions. It serves as a hub for information and socialization for the gender and sexual minorities in the community. prgtoken Erika is a shining example of tireless advocacy to make our community a better place and embodies what Pride Month is all about and what it means to be an Iowan. I will always fight in Congress to make Iowa a more inclusive and welcoming state right alongside Erika and the countless other advocates in our community. It is my pleasure to name Dr. Erika Hendel as Iowan of the Week.
OPEN SEASON FOR AFFORDABLE CARE ACT COVERAGE
Sean Casten (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-12-2

last year, a record 14.5 million Americans registered for healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act, including 5.8 million previously uninsured people who have been able to gain coverage. prgtoken Thanks to the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, we have reduced monthly healthcare premiums for millions of Americans by an average of $800 per person per year. prgtoken When you sign up for a healthcare plan through the Affordable Care Act, you gain low-cost access to doctors, lifesaving preventative care, mental health care, and more. prgtoken It is open enrollment season. That means if you currently have or want to obtain healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act, please log on to the exchange at HealthCare.Gov and choose a plan by December 15 to ensure that you have coverage starting at the beginning of next year.
ENDING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC
Donald Norcross (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to speak on behalf of those struggling with the disease of addiction. prgtoken The last few years have been brutal on Americans suffering from opioid use disorder. 100,000 dead of drug overdoses in 12 months. prgtoken This relentless disease has left heartbroken families across the country asking why there isn't more support for loved ones gripped by addiction. prgtoken Today, Leigh Ann Caldwell at the Washington Post reported that a cartel of clinics is trying to block legislation that would help address the opioid epidemic. Her article quotes a special interest leader saying he ``doesn't trust doctors.'' prgtoken 77 million Americans lack easy access to a clinic, but he doesn't want patients to get treatment because he doesn't ``trust'' doctors? Maybe he wants to protect the monopoly these for-profit clinics enjoy. prgtoken It is time for us to decide what is more important: Ending the opioid epidemic or the entrenched interests of the methadone clinic cartel. prgtoken It is time for the Senate to help us get the bipartisan Opioid Treatment Access Act over the finish line.
STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-12-2

I rise today in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who recently honored the over 14 million of his countrymen in Ukraine who died during the Holodomor, the Soviet-enforced famine that purposefully starved Ukraine in the early 1930s to subjugate them and politically control them. prgtoken Then, as now, the tyrants of the Soviet Union, Josef Stalin, and Russia used food and famine as a weapon of war. Innocent civilians are not unintended victims but, rather, specific targets of horrific brutality to rule over them. prgtoken Russia's and Putin's aim in this modern era, waging a war on Ukraine, is to kill, maim, starve, freeze, and torture as many men, women, elderly, and children as possible. prgtoken These are war crimes. Putin and his enablers are war criminals. But the courageous Ukrainian people have not broken, they have not bent. They fight on with great valor. prgtoken As Ukraine leads this righteous fight for her liberty, her sovereignty, and her very survival, it is incumbent upon all free nations to aid her in her time of need. prgtoken Ukraine, America stands with you. The world stands with you. We pray and fight for the day that your home will be a peaceful, enterprising, and virtuous one again.