mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
UNITED STATES EXPORT FINANCE AGENCY ACT OF 2019
Steve Stivers (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Mr. Chair, I want to, again, remind everybody that s unanimously voted for a bipartisan version of Ex-Im authorization, the Waters-McHenry bipartisan compromise. Unfortunately, that deal isn't on the floor. We have a version that is under a veto threat and that the Senate says is dead on arrival. prgtoken While this amendment is great to add our colleges and community colleges to the advisory board, it is not going to become law. Luckily, we do have a path forward through the appropriations process, and I hope my colleague from New York will be talking to not only the Financial Services Committee staff but the Appropriations Committee staff to get this in the version that will become law through the CR. prgtoken I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. It is too bad it is not going to become law in this version because it is dead on arrival in the Senate and under a veto threat. But I do hope that the gentlewoman works through the appropriations process to make this amendment happen because our colleges and universities can add a lot to the advisory board at the Ex-Im. prgtoken .
WE MUST NEVER FORGET LESSONS OF THE PAST
Don Bacon (Republican, NE) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Madam , in an anti-Semitic attack this last week, cowards desecrated over 75 headstones of the Temple Israel Cemetery in Omaha. Countless headstones were pushed from their bases, with many broken in the process. It is vile. It is reprehensible. It is disgusting. prgtoken This hateful action toward the Jewish community causes great pain in my heart. As Rabbi Abraham of Beth El Synagogue in Omaha recently reminded us, cemeteries are one of the most holy places, and the Talmud teaches us that ``gravestones are fairer than royal palaces.'' prgtoken This attack happened around Veterans Day, which provided a dark reminder that the cause of defending freedom and combating hate never rests. prgtoken On that note, I call upon the leadership of Congress to move H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. prgtoken Education is a powerful weapon combating anti-Semitism, and this bill will provide valuable tools in that fight. prgtoken As we near the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, one of the darkest chapters in human history, we must never forget the lessons of the past so that we never again repeat those horrors in the future.
PROVIDING EFFECTIVE COUNSELING RESOURCES TO LEARNERS OF ALL AGES
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-11-15

I rise today in support of the Counseling for Career Choice Act, a bill I cosponsored with my fellow Career and Technical Caucus co-chair, Congressman Jim Langevin. The Counseling for Career Choice Act aims to empower students by providing effective counseling resources to learners of all ages. prgtoken Unfortunately, many students go to college without being fully aware of their education and career opportunities and options. According to the Coalition of Career Development, about one-third of high school graduates do not go to college right away and often struggle to find meaningful work. prgtoken Additionally, a business roundtable survey found that more than 90 percent of CEOs agree the skills gap is a significant threat to their organizations. There are approximately 7 million unfilled jobs in the United States, but equipping students with the necessary tools to succeed will help us close this gap. prgtoken With increased counseling opportunities, students can take control of their professional futures with confidence. Whether students choose the traditional college route or apprenticeships and trade schools, proper counseling can make a positive impact in the lives of students of all ages.
APPRENTICESHIPS CAN HELP CLOSE THE SKILLED TRADES GAP
Dusty Johnson (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-11-15

it is National Apprenticeship Week. prgtoken We have 7 million unfilled jobs in this country, and many of them are in the skilled trades. We have got to close prgtoken that gap, and I think apprenticeships can help. There are companies like Midwestern Mechanical in Sioux Falls who understand that and have created their own in-house apprenticeship programs. prgtoken Their apprentices get free classes while they work 40 hours a week in their field. They earn while they learn. Unlike many college students, they finish their program with a license, with a skill, with a job, and without college debt. prgtoken Now, as we look forward to how do we grow this economy and how do we do a better job, we have to understand that, yes, 4-year degrees are important, but they are not the only way to close that skill gap. prgtoken I think that in-house apprenticeships like those at Midwestern Mechanical show us an important way forward.
UNITED STATES EXPORT FINANCE AGENCY ACT OF 2019
Denver Riggleman (Republican, VA) \u2014 2019-11-15

this amendment will not kill the bill but simply strengthen it so the House can send a strong message to China. prgtoken I offer this MTR for a very simple reason: China is a problem. China is a major human rights violator; China is responsible for unprecedented amounts of personal data and intellectual property theft; and China's military seeks to extend its reach throughout the world. prgtoken Based on my experience in the Department of Defense and in intelligence communities, I can personally attest to the multitude of threats China poses. prgtoken If my colleagues across the aisle believe that part of a healthy Ex- Im Bank is ignoring the issues China presents, then go ahead and vote against this MTR and guarantee uncertainty for long-term Ex-Im reauthorization. prgtoken But if, like me, you understand and care about what happens to freedom and democracy around the world, and if you care about human rights around the world and you want to see the Bank reauthorized with a purpose, then please join me in supporting this MTR that imposes necessary and just requirements for entities wishing to do business with Chinese state-owned enterprises. prgtoken I want to share a quote from our of the House on China. When speaking to a group of survivors at the 30-year anniversary of Tiananmen Square, Pelosi said: ``We cannot allow economic interests with China to blind us to the moral injustices committed by China.'' And about an hour ago, the came to the well and documented Chinese human rights abuses and actions and said, ``It is against humanity.'' prgtoken Well said, Madam . I couldn't agree more. I would also like to add that missing from that quote is that we should not allow economic interests with China to blind us to the threats of national security. prgtoken In that same vein, earlier this week, the Financial Services Committee held a hearing focused on multilateral development banks. My colleague, Mr. Sherman, who is the chair of the Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, attended that hearing and spoke eloquently and forcefully, arguing: ``As long as China benefits one penny from this institution, it is an attack on the national security of the United States.'' prgtoken Well, if Mr. Sherman is alarmed by World Bank loans benefiting small- scale farmers in China, surely he and his colleagues don't want Ex-Im assistance supporting China's largest semiconductor manufacturer, China's major technology providers such as Huawei, or China's Export- Import Banks or their state-owned shipping groups that are taking over ports in Europe, South America and other parts of the world as we speak. prgtoken The questions we face today are not partisan. The question is: Do we as Americans, as Members of Congress that have sworn an oath to protect this country, allow Ex-Im to finance Chinese Government-controlled entities that are building military installations in the
TRIBUTE TO SERGEANT JOSEPH RICHARD III
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Madam , I rise today to pay tribute to Sergeant Joseph Richard III, a Louisiana native who gave his life fighting for our country during a third tour in Iraq in his 5 years of U.S. military service. prgtoken Sergeant Richard was deeply devoted to his family and his country. He was a loving husband, son, brother, and uncle who dedicated much of his life to ensuring his loved ones--and every single one of us--were able to enjoy the many freedoms we too often take for granted. prgtoken Sergeant Richard was the recipient of 12 distinguished service medals, including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. prgtoken He made the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield fighting against one of our Nation's fiercest enemies, and, for that, he will never be forgotten. prgtoken In fact, his parents, Joe and Elaine Richard, were both here in D.C. with us last week to memorialize forever their son's sacrifice in the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. prgtoken I take this moment to extend my sincerest and deepest appreciation to them and the countless others whose lives were blessed by Sergeant Richard. No one understands the true life of freedom more deeply. prgtoken I pray that God's grace continues to comfort them, and I thank them for their service and sacrifices over the many years. We know our soldiers don't serve alone. prgtoken Mr. and Mrs. Richard, thank you for raising a hero. We will also work hard here in Congress to honor your sacrifice and the sacrifices all of our soldiers make.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steve Scalise (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for walking through the schedule. prgtoken As we have been hearing about the CR, I express similar disappointment that we have not been able to get the full-year appropriations bill agreed upon by both the House and the Senate, as we worked incredibly hard to get a 2-year budget deal, a very bipartisan agreement. prgtoken The objective of getting a 2-year budget deal in last year's Congress was to ensure that we could agree on levels of funding for our troops, which we did to make sure that, instead of having CRs, we were actually able to have a full-year spending bill that is agreed to by both sides so that we can get certainty to our troops. They are not getting the tools they need. prgtoken We already agreed on the levels of funding, and yet, there is still not an agreed negotiation. This is not a case where the House can just sit back and wait for the Senate to do something. We are in a CR now where there is a limited amount of time. I understand this CR will go through December 20, so for a few more weeks. prgtoken It is not a matter of waiting for the Senate to come to an agreement between s and there. It is a matter of getting the House and the Senate to get an agreement. prgtoken At some point, somebody in the leadership of the House majority is going to have to go sit down with somebody in the leadership of the Senate majority. Everybody has their different parties and their different ideas, and they are going to have to stay in that room until they get an agreement. It has happened before. It has to happen this time. It hasn't happened yet. prgtoken I don't know if those honest, earnest negotiations are going on between whoever in your House majority is going to be in the lead position to head that negotiation and whoever it is on the Senate side. It might be their appropriations chairs and your appropriations chairs, whoever has been designated by the House. prgtoken There has to be a commitment that they are just going to go sit in a room until they figure out their differences. We agreed on a number. We passed a bipartisan 2-year budget deal for the purpose especially of making sure our military doesn't go in limbo, and these other Federal agencies that are important, too, that need to get the agreed numbers that they can come to an agreement on to spend. prgtoken But, ultimately, we know the cost--we are hearing the cost from our military generals--of the CR. It is probably $1.5 billion a month that they lose, that they are not able to properly go and buy the equipment our troops need when we are operating under a CR. prgtoken I hope we get to that agreement soon where whoever it is on your side that is going to be the point person that is authorized to get a deal can go sit down with the Senate and just stay until they get that deal. prgtoken And I know there are a lot of other things going on over here. We are not going to get into the impeachment
RECOGNIZING REPRESENTATIVE STEVE HOLLAND
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Madam , I rise today to recognize former Mississippi State House Representative, Steve Holland. prgtoken Representative Holland served in the State House of Representatives for 36 years and proudly represented Mississippi's 16th district. During his extensive career, Representative Holland served on many committees, including: the Committee on Public Health and Human Services, Appropriations, Congressional Redistricting, Gaming, Judiciary A, Judiciary En Banc, Budget, Legislative Reapportionment, Medicaid, Local and Private Legislation, Tourism, Transportation, Fees and Salaries of Public Officers, Ways and Means, and Youth and Family Affairs. prgtoken Representative Holland is a true Mississippian who prioritized legislation that would create a brighter future for Mississippi. I thank him for his service, and I hope he enjoys his well-deserved retirement.
IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS
Fred Keller (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-11-15

this week the American people saw the first public impeachment hearings in a generation. These hearings are happening after weeks of a sham process where witnesses auditioned, questions were rehearsed, and testimony was selectively leaked by as they tried to craft their narrative. prgtoken Unfortunately, despite the start of public hearings, are continuing to audition witnesses, holding two more secret depositions in a SCIF this week. prgtoken This sham impeachment of President is continuing despite four undeniable facts that the have ignored since day one: prgtoken One, the transcript of the phone call shows there was no discussion of conditionality; prgtoken Two, both President and President Zelensky said there was no pressure; prgtoken Three, Ukraine didn't know the military aid was being withheld; and prgtoken Four, the aid was ultimately released, and Ukraine didn't have to do anything. prgtoken There is no ``there'' there. It is time to move on and work on things that will benefit the American people, like passing the USMCA, truly bipartisan prescription drug reform, fully funding our military, and taking care of our veterans. prgtoken Let's move past this partisan process and get to work on the issues that will benefit every American family.
TRIBUTE TO DR. JAMES I. ``BUD'' ROBERTSON, JR.
H. Morgan Griffith (Republican, VA) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Madam , I offer rise in tribute to Dr. James I. ``Bud'' Robertson, Jr longtime professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, who passed away on November 2 at the age of 89. Dr. Robertson, sometimes called ``Mr. Virginia,'' was a distinguished scholar of the American Civil War. prgtoken Dr. Robertson was a native of Danville, Virginia. He earned his bachelor's degree in history at Randolph-Macon College and his master's degree and doctorate in the same subject at Emory University. prgtoken As the United States commemorated the centennial of the Civil War in the 1960s, President Kennedy asked Dr. Robertson to serve as executive director of the United States Civil War Centennial Commission. After his successful leadership of the commission, he joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 1967. Over the course of his career, he taught thousands of students, wrote more than 20 books, became founding director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, and educated the public at large on the war. His biography of Stonewall Jackson earned acclaim as a definitive account of the legendary general's life, but the experiences of the common soldiers who served on both sides, ``Billy Yank'' and ``Johnny Reb,'' occupied much of his study as well. prgtoken In the preface to Civil War Sites in Virginia: A Tour Guide, Dr. Robertson told of a cemetery at Appomattox, where a Federal soldier is buried next to Confederates. He wrote: ``They sleep side by side, and it is fitting that they do; for these American heroes who lived not so long ago struggled greatly against something greater than themselves. Often fighting for nothing more than the realization of a dream, they bravely marched down the undiscovered road to tomorrow. What they gave, we now share. What they lost, we gained. Their sacrifice is the nation's legacy.'' prgtoken Dr. Robertson devoted himself to the study of that legacy. He did it with skill and with an prgtoken enthusiasm that could affect anyone who heard his lectures or commentary. prgtoken Among the many awards he earned over his career were three commendations from the Virginia General Assembly, the Virginia Press Association's 2004 Virginian of the Year, the Best NonFiction Book Award by the Library of Virginia in 1997, and the Outstanding Professor Award of the Virginia Council for Higher Education. In turn, Dr. Robertson strongly supported Virginia Tech financially and through the donation of a large portion of his enormous collection of Civil War books. prgtoken After his retirement from Virginia Tech, Dr. Robertson resided in Virginia's Northern Neck. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth ``Betty Lee'' Robertson; his sons, James I. Robertson III and Howard Robertson; his daughter, Beth Brown; his stepson, William W. Lee Jr.; his stepdaughter, Elizabeth A. Lee; seven grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren. I would like to express my condolences to them and to
IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE, LEGACY, AND SERVICE OF JAMES DUNCAN
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Madam , today I rise in honor of the life, legacy, and service of James Duncan of Appleton, Wisconsin. prgtoken Jim was born on June 28, 1947 to Rodney and Bertha Duncan in Appleton, WI. He attended Menasha High School and graduated in the Class of 1965. Jim then served in the U.S. Army in Korea during the Vietnam War as a medic. Upon returning home from service, Jim was employed as the fourth ever paramedic in the state of Wisconsin through Gold Cross Ambulance where he aided the community for 30 years. prgtoken Jim continued to serve his community from 1998 to 2019, holding various leadership positions on the Outagamie County Board. He utilized his extensive background as an Army medic and an emergency responder during his time on the Public Safety Committee. Jim was an advocate for rehabilitation and a supporter of jail diversion programs, like drug treatment court and veterans treatment court. prgtoken In addition to his service on the County Board, Jim was actively involved with several organizations throughout the Fox Valley. He assisted in fundraising, event planning, and medical care for the Special Olympics, was a foster father for over 15 years, and volunteered with the food pantry through Fox Valley Christian Fellowship. prgtoken Jim was a true altruist who was tireless and tenacious in his efforts to help others. He always went the extra mile to serve when others around him would not. His goal was not to surpass all others at any cost, but to serve others whatever the cost. Jim's leadership will be missed by all. prgtoken Madam , it is truly an honor to recognize Jim's selfless service to our country. His love of country and service to the Fox Valley community will always be remembered. I offer my sincerest condolences to Jim's family.
RECOGNIZING THE 75TH RANGER REGIMENT
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-11-15

I rise today to recognize the 75th Ranger Regiment for their role in the historic elimination of ISIS leader al-Baghdadi. prgtoken On Saturday, October 26, the 75th Ranger Regiment, along with other Army Special Forces, flawlessly executed an operation that led to the removal of one of the world's most dangerous terrorists. prgtoken This operation is a moment of pride for all Americans because of the atrocities he and his group have committed against innocent men, women, and children. It is an especially proudful moment for Georgia, in the First Congressional District that I have the honor and privilege of representing, because of the reported role of the 75th Ranger Regiment. prgtoken , while the 75th Ranger Regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, I am proud to represent one part of it through the 1st Ranger Battalion, stationed at Savannah's Hunter Army Airfield. prgtoken I thank all of those in the 75th Ranger Regiment for their service to our Nation and for their bravery. prgtoken While details will be restricted, I am proud of the regiment's continued role prgtoken in our Nation's defense and those who serve in the 1st Battalion and call our area home.
HONORING THE CITY OF MURRAY FOR SAFETY AWARD
James Comer (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-11-15

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the city of Murray, Kentucky, home of Murray State University, for its recent distinction as one of the top 50 safest college towns in America. Murray is a beacon of educational excellence and is an invaluable asset to the First Congressional District of Kentucky. prgtoken Through analysis of violent crime rates across the Nation, SafeWise, a safety-focused consumer research firm, found that Murray exhibited exceptionally low crime rates. This finding further highlights an already notable community in my district. prgtoken I applaud the work Murray has done to achieve this recognition and commend Murray State University on the collegial environment it has developed for its more than 8,000 students. When students come to Murray State, they not only join the academic community, but they also become citizens of the entire Murray family. prgtoken Once again, I congratulate the residents and leaders of Murray on this award and urge them to continue their tradition of excellence.