mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2022-6-15

I want to start my remarks by expressing my appreciation for Ranking Member Moran's leadership. It has been stellar. If you combine him with Senator Boozman and Senator Heinrich, it has been a great team. I just want to thank Senator Moran for his leadership and his continued desire to do the right thing for the servicemembers who have served this country in the military. prgtoken The Senate has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity today to make history in passing the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act. prgtoken Let me be clear. This bill isn't about versus s. It is not about political posturing. It is about Americans standing up for those who have served and sacrificed on behalf of this country and the freedoms that we have today. In fact, it is even more than that. It is about righting a wrong that has been ignored for too damn long. prgtoken It is about Will Thompson, who served our country for 23 years in the Army on Active Duty as a West Virginia National Guardsman. prgtoken After his second tour in Iraq in 2009, Will developed pulmonary fibrosis from the effect of his exposures to burn pits, and he endured two double-lung transplants. He testified in front of our committee, less than a year ago. He lost his battle with his illnesses this last December. prgtoken It is about SFC Heath Robinson, who answered the call of duty and was deployed to Kosovo and Iraq with the prgtoken Ohio National Guard--a picture of Heath right here and his daughter. prgtoken While deployed, he was exposed to potent toxins, and 13 years after his deployment--13 short years after his deployment--he lost his life to a rare autoimmune disease and stage IV lung cancer, conditions absolutely and unequivocally caused by burn pits. prgtoken Sadly, it is too late to do right by Will and Heath and so many others for them personally, but today this body has a chance to do the right thing by their families and future generations of our All- Volunteer military by advancing the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act. prgtoken I want to talk a little bit about this plaque right here, see the picture of Heath in uniform? But you also see what is the most important thing to Heath, and that is his daughter. His daughter was at a press conference that the ranking member and I were at a little over a week ago. And I said this when I first spoke on this bill a little over a week ago, the first words out of her mouth were: ``I love my daddy. Daddy's not around anymore.'' But because of, hopefully, the work that we are going to do here today, she will have a future. prgtoken This is not only about our service men and women--the people who served in our military--it is about their families because when folks go to war, it is just not the service person who does it; it is everybody in their family. prgtoken And what this bill will do, is it will address de
TRIBUTE TO JEAN McCOWN ON HER RETIREMENT
Anna G. Eshoo (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-6-15

. Madam , I rise today to honor Jean McCown, her career in public service, and as Associate Vice President of Government Affairs at Stanford University. Jean is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Boalt Hall Law School. Before joining Stanford in 2004, she was a partner at the law firm of Ritchey Fisher Whitman & Klein, where she focused on land use, environmental and real estate matters. prgtoken Jean was a member of the Palo Alto City Council from 1990 to 1998 and served as mayor in 1993. She previously served on the Palo Alto Planning Commission and on regional transportation committees including the CalTrain Joint Powers Board and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. prgtoken Jean McCown served on the board of the Greenbelt Alliance for many years and is now a board member of the Palo Alto Community Foundation and Alta, formerly the Palo Alto Housing Corporation. prgtoken The honors she has earned include the John W. Gardner Leadership Award in 1994 from American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley, and the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Athena Award in 2004. prgtoken As Associate Vice President within the Office of Government Affairs at Stanford, Jean McCown focused on the University's government and community affairs efforts and initiatives at the city, county and state level. She maintained relationships with community-based organizations, government officials, local businesses and citizens to support effective communication and dialogue within the Stanford community and between Stanford and its neighbors. While at Stanford she provided strategic leadership for the Searsville Watershed Restoration project and provided strategic guidance for the Middle Plaza Housing Project in Menlo Park. She helped build supportive relationships with the Palo Alto Unified School District and secured the fire services contract between Stanford and the Palo Alto Fire Department. Jean led multiple General Use Permit negotiations with Santa Clara County, provided strategic guidance for the Hospitals Renewal projects for the Stanford adult and children's hospitals, and helped spearhead the Palo Alto Mayfield agreement creating new public playing fields and housing for the City. prgtoken Madam , I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring Jean McCown for her extraordinary work and in wishing her every blessing in her well-deserved retirement.
REMEMBERING STEPHEN ``STEVE'' H. SACHS
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-6-15

next Tuesday, June 21, there will be a memorial service to honor Stephen H. Sachs, who died on January 12 at his home in Baltimore at the age of 87. Steve Sachs was U.S. Attorney for Maryland for 3 years and Maryland's Attorney General for two terms. He was one of the finest lawyers in the Nation--a proud son of Maryland, a proud son of Baltimore. He was an indefatigable, ever optimistic Orioles fan. He had a brilliant intellect and a sparkling sense of humor. prgtoken Steve was born in Baltimore on January 31, 1934. His father was director of the Baltimore Jewish Council and a labor arbitrator, and his mother was a homemaker. Steve received a bachelor's degree in 1954 from Haverford College and then served in the Army from 1955 to 1957. He received a Fulbright scholarship to study at the University of Oxford in England. He received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1960. He worked as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland. In 1967, then-President Lyndon Johnson appointed Steve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, a position he held until 1970. prgtoken Steve prosecuted cases involving white-collar crime and public corruption. In 1968, he prosecuted Vietnam war protesters known as the Catonsville Nine, Roman Catholic anti-war activists who broke into the Selective Service office in Catonsville, MD, in an attempt to destroy draft records. It was a high-profile case. The Rev. Daniel Berrigan and his brother, the Rev. Philip Berrigan, led activists on a raid at Draft Board 33 in Catonsville. Steve secured a guilty verdict in Federal court for destroying government property. prgtoken Fifty years later, in a retrospective article in the ``Baltimore Sun'', Steve wrote with a searing honesty, ``I believed then, and believe now, that the nine were brave men and women who acted out of a conviction that the war in Vietnam was profoundly evil. But I believed then, and I believe now, that the conduct of the nine--particularly their insistence that their action at Catonsville should have been condoned because they were `right'--offends both the rule of law and a fundamental tenet of the American democracy.'' I think that statement captures Steve's character perfectly. prgtoken Steve was in private practice from 1970 to 1978 when he ran an outsider campaign to become Maryland's Attorney General. He didn't align himself with any gubernatorial candidate, which had been the practice. He stated, ``The attorney general should be independent. The attorney general should be the people's lawyer.'' After several public corruption scandals, Marylanders appreciated Steve's unquestioned integrity and were receptive to his activist, reform-oriented campaign. He served two terms as Attorney General and practically reinvented the position. He established a strong Consumer Protection Division within the Office of Attorney General that assisted Marylanders against corpor
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-6-15

today, I rise to recognize Gaylord Specialty Healthcare as it celebrates 120 years of outstanding service in Connecticut. Throughout its existence, Gaylord has changed with the healthcare needs of the people of Connecticut and indeed across the Nation, while maintaining a reputation for excellence and superior professionalism. prgtoken The health system was first founded in 1902 as a tuberculosis sanatorium. Gaylord Sanatorium provided long-term treatment for half a century when the disease was endemic, treating patients including playwright Eugene O'Neill. In 1926, the U.S. Public Health Laboratory National Research Committee selected Gaylord's facilities as the first they used in the country. In 1948, Gaylord Farm Sanatorium was renamed to Gaylord Hospital, restructuring to treat people with chronic illnesses. By 1954, Gaylord Hospital became the first hospital in New England to specialize in comprehensive rehabilitation. prgtoken Today, Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is an extensive health system across the State of Connecticut that focuses exclusively on medical rehabilitation. The hospital in Wallingford is a leading center for rehabilitation, and it is one of only two long-term acute care hospitals in the world--and the only one in the United States. Gaylord received certification from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities in recognition of its outstanding patient care. They offer an extensive breadth of treatment and accreditation opportunities. Gaylord is further certified by the Joint Commission and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation thanks to its exemplary standards. prgtoken I have had the privilege of visiting Gaylord Hospital on a number of occasions. This April, I was proud to join members of their staff to celebrate their new physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians residency program, made possible thanks to $1.2 million in Federal funding. This program will be the first of its kind in Connecticut, and it will play a critical role in ensuring our State has sufficient resources for specialty medical professionals. Having spoken with staff and patients at Gaylord, I can attest firsthand to the extraordinary care, compassion, and expertise demonstrated there. Gaylord Hospital's work is a credit to our State. prgtoken As Gaylord Hospital celebrates its anniversary this October, I applaud them on their extraordinary record of accomplishment. I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Gaylord Specialty Healthcare on 120 years of excellence.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Mark Kelly (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2022-6-15

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 903, Ventris C. Gibson, of Virginia, to be Director of the Mint for a term of five years; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume legislative session.
HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. PRESTON PHILLIPS
Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-6-15

. Madam , I rise today to honor Dr. Preston Phillips. prgtoken Dr. Phillips was a gracious and loving husband, father, and brother who dedicated his life to his family, his community, and to saving lives. prgtoken Earlier this month, Dr. Phillips was murdered during a tragic mass shooting at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by a shooter who purchased an AR-15 2 hours before the shooting and a handgun less than 2 days before the shooting. prgtoken Nothing we say can bring back a devoted father who did so much to save the lives of others as a doctor. Nothing will ease the pain of his wife and his three children who have to bury him far too soon. My heart goes out to all the families of the four people killed and the community in Tulsa that still grieves. prgtoken This tragedy has also struck close to home for me. Dr. Phillips was the father of Elise Phillips, a valued member of my staff here in D.C a member of our House of Representatives family who has spent the last year tirelessly serving the people of Washington's Seventh Congressional District as my legislative counsel. I, and our whole office, grieve with Elise and her family. prgtoken This past weekend, I was honored to attend Dr. Phillips' funeral service in Tulsa at the invitation of the family. It was immediately clear to me what an exceptional community Dr. Phillips and his strong and courageous wife, Melody, have built around themselves over their life together. Everyone I met described Dr. Phillips as a man of extraordinary warmth, brilliance, and compassion. prgtoken Dr. Phillips came from humble beginnings, and his life is a testament to what can be achieved with determination. He got his first job at the age of 8 shining shoes and gathering shopping carts. He used this money to pay for veterinary bills for his family's dog, Blackie. prgtoken In high school, he discovered his love for medicine and focused on his studies with great dedication. Dr. Phillips was then granted admission to Emory University where he graduated with bachelor's degrees in religion and chemistry and a master's degree in organic chemistry. prgtoken He continued his education at Harvard Medical School and then completed his residency at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Phillips began his formal medical career in my home district of Seattle in 1997, and he practiced there for 8 years before moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma. prgtoken As the Representative for Seattle's Seventh Congressional District, I want to convey how proud we are of Dr. Phillips and his significant contributions to our community. prgtoken During his career, Dr. Phillips emphasized giving back to community. At Yale, he founded the Yale Minority Medical Association, which focused on recruitment, mentorship, and retention of minority students in the medical field. prgtoken His generosity was boundless, and he touched countless lives here and abroad. A prime example were his annual trips to Togo in Africa to perform
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
Ann Kirkpatrick (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2022-6-15

. Madam , I was absent for a vote today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 271. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Amodei (Balderson) Brooks (Weber (TX)) Bustos (Mrvan) Carter (TX) (Weber (TX)) Connolly (Beyer) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) Davids (KS) (Neguse) Davis, Danny K. (Beyer) Evans (Beyer) Gohmert (Weber (TX)) Gonzalez (OH) (Meijer) Green (TN) (Fleischmann) Johnson (GA) (Manning) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kahele (Mrvan) Katko (Moore (UT)) Kelly (IL) (Neguse) Lamb (Blunt Rochester) Lawrence (Stevens) Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz) Lowenthal (Beyer) Mace (Carter (GA)) McEachin (Beyer) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Newman (Beyer) O'Halleran (Schrader) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Peters (Jeffries) Pingree (Wasserman Schultz) Price (NC) (Manning) Rice (SC) (Meijer) Stanton (Huffman) Suozzi (Beyer) Taylor (Van Duyne) Tenney (Jackson) Titus (Pallone) Walorski (Bucshon) Waters (Takano) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-6-15

we continue a productive week here on the Senate floor. prgtoken Today, the Senate will take another step closer to passing the largest veterans' healthcare bill in decades, the Honoring our PACT Act. In a few moments, the Senate will vote to adopt the substitute amendment and then immediately vote on cloture on the bill, bringing us to the brink of passing this long-sought piece of legislation. prgtoken Frankly, the Senate should come to an agreement to finish the PACT Act work A-S-A-P. We should pass this bill as soon as we can and finally tell our veterans that the long wait for their well-earned benefits is over. prgtoken Let me say it again. prgtoken There is no reason not to finish the PACT Act A-S-A-P. Our Nation's veterans have waited long enough for this bill. Since 9/11, nearly 3.5 million veterans have been exposed to toxic burn pits in the line of duty. Scores of Americans went off to serve our country in perfect health only to come back home and get sick from toxic exposure, and when many of these veterans applied to the VA for healthcare benefits, they oftentimes discovered that they didn't qualify. prgtoken It is a confounding indignity for our Nation's heroes to sacrifice everything for our country only to come home, get sick, and discover that the VA ain't there for them--they have to fend for themselves. prgtoken What kind of message does it send to future veterans when we can't guarantee they will get the healthcare benefits they rightfully deserve and when the VA will not deal with injuries that occurred on the battlefield because of toxic burn pits and other issues? With the PACT Act, we have a chance to answer that question with a resounding yes. prgtoken Question: Well, if I enlist, am I going to really be taken care of when my service is complete? prgtoken We are going to have a chance to answer that question with a resounding yes. Yes, we will take care of you. Yes, we will make sure you can live healthy and dignified lives. Yes, we will keep our promise to protect our veterans just as they have sacrificed everything for us. prgtoken No great nation can dare afford to turn its back on the multitudes who have served our country. No veterans prgtoken should ever have to carry the burden of treating complications from toxic exposure all by themselves, and we can change that simply with a vote on this bill. prgtoken Let us pass the PACT Act with all due haste. We have a moral obligation in the Chamber to get this done. Nominations prgtoken Now, , on the nominations front, we are moving ahead with confirming President 's critical and well-qualified nominees. prgtoken Later today, we will vote on the confirmation of Alan Leventhal to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. prgtoken Later this week, once we conclude the PACT Act, we will also move forward on the nomination of Mary Boyle for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, whose conf
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2022-6-15

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 732 and 735; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jon Ossoff (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2022-6-15

I rise today to urge my colleagues-- , Independents, s--to seize this opportunity that we have to pass bipartisan legislation to look out for the veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who are suffering the terrible consequences of exposure to burn pits, toxic fumes, and toxic waste. prgtoken When we send Americans to war, caring for them when they return is not a favor, it is not a good deed, it is not a choice; it is a sacred obligation of the U.S. Government. prgtoken I would observe that many of the same Senators who voted to send our forces into harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan are still serving in this body today. prgtoken We have a sacred obligation to pass this legislation to ensure that those who served in those conflicts and anywhere around the world in service to the United States, suffering from the effects of exposure to toxins, get the care they need through the VA. prgtoken This is about folks like COL David McCracken of Tyrone, GA, an Army Reservist deployed in defense of our country after 9/11. Colonel McCracken made it home from those deployments. He served his country. He did his duty with valor and bravery. But at the age of 45, when otherwise healthy, Colonel McCracken was diagnosed with brain cancer--a rare occurrence at his age--and 11 months later, he was dead, taken from a wife and three children. prgtoken This is about folks like Army SGT Jeff Danovich, who fought in Mosul in 2004, where he lived just 100 yards from a burn pit. Like Colonel McCracken, Sergeant Danovich did his duty. He served in combat. He came home to his family, but just 2 years ago, Sergeant Danovich was diagnosed with leukemia. And when he filed for disability with the VA because of his exposure to burn pits, his claim was denied. prgtoken Let me just state again that when this government sends its forces into harm's way, caring for them when they return is not a good deed. We don't get extra credit for doing this. It is not a favor; it is our job. And let me remind my colleagues once again that many of you in this body voted to send these men and women into combat. prgtoken So Senator Tester and Senator Moran have presented us with a bipartisan bill to do what is right and look after the veterans who did their jobs for us when we sent them to do those jobs. Let's do our jobs for them and pass this legislation. prgtoken . (Ms. BALDWIN assumed the Chair.)