mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SETTING EVERY COMMUNITY UP FOR RETIREMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2019
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , when only 39 percent of Americans have enough savings to cover an emergency costing $1,000 and when 67 percent of Americans say that they will outlive their retirement savings, the SECURE Act becomes a lifesaver. prgtoken It becomes a lifesaver because it makes it easier for small businesses to offer retirement plans. It gives retirement benefit opportunities to home healthcare workers, more than half of whom are women of color, working for extremely low pay. prgtoken And I must take note of that, because these individuals are at the low end of not only quality of life but low end of earnings. They now have an opportunity for some serious consideration of retirement. prgtoken It creates a small employer automatic enrollment credit to make it easier for workers to participate in 401(k) plans. prgtoken These are important changes. It is a great bill, not just a good bill. prgtoken Madam , I strongly support it, and I urge all my colleagues to do so.
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PHYLLIS WATT WUSTENBERG
Kurt Schrader (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Phyllis Watt Wustenberg a constituent of mine from Bay City, Oregon who recently passed away at the age of 92. prgtoken Phyllis was a remarkable woman and beloved member of the community who leaves behind an incredible legacy of a life that was dedicated to service. The Tillamook County area won't be the same without her. Today I would like to include in the Record Phyllis' obituary and extend my sincere condolences to Phyllis' family and the people of Tillamook County. Obituary for Phyllis Watt Wustenberg Phyllis Wustenberg, age 92, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2019 while seated at the desk of her home in Bay City, OR. There were messages on the answering machine, minutes and notes from recent nonprofit board and public commission meetings, and treasured memories from five generations of her Oregon family within arm's reach. Phyllis Watt Wustenberg-- pioneer, matriarch, scholar, mink rancher, gardener, civic leader, philanthropist, sorority sister, and great grandmother--was busy living right to the last moment. It was a life well lived, dedicated to the betterment of her family, community, and state she loved so dearly. She was born July 25, 1927 in Vancouver, WA to Robert, son of settler, farmer, logger and lumber mill owner Robert Watt, and Jean Morris Watt, who he met in Haines, AK. The Watt family journey from Scotland and contributions as pioneers in the coastal region are documented in the 1974 book, Five Watt Brothers. Phyllis attended Bay City school with siblings Barbara, Joan and Robert. She graduated in 1945 in a class of nine, received her B.S. from Oregon State University in 1949 and was one of the first women to achieve a Master's in Fisheries Management in 1951. Phyllis was on faculty at OSU from 1951 to 1953, where her work was described in Fur Animal Research where, in 200, editor J.E. Oldfield remembers: ``I moved from U.B.C. to Oregon State University in 1949 and found a mink research program in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (then ``Fish and Game'') which was ably directed by Phyllis Watt (now Wustenberg). If I needed any encouragement to continue my interest with mink, Phyllis certainly supplied it. Raised on a mink ranch at Bay City, Oregon, she combined her knowledge of the industry and its needs with her research abilities to form an effective program which she operated with great good humor.'' She met and married Donald Wustenberg of Chico, CA in 1953 while at OSU, and in 1955, after he graduated with a Master's in Fisheries Biology. They relocated to the farm in Bay City to create a life closer to their shared ideal for raising a family. Mark was born in 1954 and William (Bill) in 1957. Don and P
RECOGNIZING PHO 79 FOR BEING AWARDED THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION AWARD
Harley Rouda (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , today I'd like to recognize Pho 79 for receiving the James Beard Foundation Award in the America's Classics category. These awards are also known as the ``Oscars of the Food World'', and the America's Classics category rewards, ``quality food that reflects the character of their communit[y]''. Pho 79, founded by Lieu Tran and Thq Tran, is in California's 48th Congressional District in Garden Grove and was one of the original businesses that comprised what would become Little Saigon. prgtoken Founded in 1982 as one of the first pho restaurants in Southern California, Pho 79, with its cozy and modest atmosphere, belies the nondescript corner of Garden Grove it sits on. The restaurant introduced Americans to that eponymous broth soup of Vietnamese cuisine, served with meatballs, tenderloin, or tripe and seasoned with bean sprouts, lime, mint leaves, and pepper. But, of course, the restaurant continues to garner acclaim for its signature oxtail soup. prgtoken Just as the restaurant introduced Americans to some of the best examples of Vietnamese cuisine, Pho 79, if only during a meal, reconnected Orange County's Vietnamese-American refugee community to their homeland--including those who came seeking asylum in the days and years following the Vietnam War and the children and grandchildren of those refugees. Those memories are reflected in the restaurant's name, which commemorates the year that the Trans arrived in the United States. Their story is a testament to entrepreneurship, hard work, and the strength of the Vietnamese-American community. prgtoken With the Tran family continuing to prepare the food and work the restaurant, Pho 79 remains a fixture in Little Saigon and has played a crucial role in pioneering Vietnamese cuisine in California's 48th District and across Southern California. Their James Beard Foundation Award in the America's Classics category is richly deserved, and I give to them my warmest congratulations and best wishes for continued success.
RECOGNIZING PRESIDENT HARRY S. TRUMAN'S LEGACY IN FIRE PREVENTION, FIRE SAFETY, AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , between May 5 and 7 of this year, national leaders representing every facet of the fire service gathered together in Key West, Florida for three days of discussions on the future of fire prevention, public education, and fire service challenges in general. They attended the event at the invitation of the Harry S. Truman Foundation. Each year, the Truman Foundation conducts an annual symposium at the Truman Little White House to reflect on the legacy of our nation's 33rd President. The theme of the 2019 symposium was, ``Truman's Legacy Towards Fire Prevention, Fire Safety, and Historic Preservation.'' In 1947, President Truman convened a conference on fire prevention following a series of devastating fires that captured the attention of the nation. Hundreds of representatives from government, business, non-government organizations, and the fire service attended the Washington conference. In his remarks to the attendees, Truman stated, ``Safety from fire should not be a topic for discussion during only one or two weeks of the year. It is definitely a year-round public responsibility.'' Seventy-two years later, President Truman's words inspired the assembly of prominent fire service leaders to meet in Key West. prgtoken The Truman Foundation asked the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to serve as a co-facilitator of the recent program. By every account, both organizations did an exemplary job in conducting the event. Presentations by notable fire service leaders addressed a broad range of issues that span the important work in fire prevention. For example, on the third day, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation conducted a forum to identify key areas for advancing fire prevention in our nation. Watching the recent success in Florida, I remain so impressed by the ability of the national fire organizations to work together to address the needs of firefighters and public safety. This ability is something I have witnessed throughout my years as a co-Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. prgtoken Seventy-two years have passed since the 1947 conference, and during that time, the number of victims dying in fires has decreased to approximately 3,000 each year. This isn't a coincidence. But the fire service leaders assembled in Key West this month didn't see this as an achievement; instead, they recognized that more work needs to be done. prgtoken The strength of our nation has always been the indomitable spirit of our citizens. The fire service personifies that spirit. I commend the Harry S. Truman Foundation and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundations for bringing together our nation's leading fire officials. And I pledge my continued support for the more than one million firefighters across the nation who are prepared to respond to the next call for help and to the family members who lose loved ones in the line of duty. God bless all of them.
IRAN
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-5-23

I give heartfelt thanks to my colleague from Illinois for bringing the experience of his service in the Senate and his deliberate study of the challenges of international affairs to bear on the gravity of the current situation where a policy has brought us to the brink of conflict and we have no confidence that there is wise judgment being exercised at this moment to ensure that there is not a war. prgtoken I thank him for sharing the journey that he has been a part of and that this Chamber has been part of and ringing the alarm bell that at this moment, we have two key foreign policy advisors--our Secretary of State and our National Security Advisor--who prefer weapons over agreements, who have driven a strategy of maximum pressure designed to make life extraordinarily difficult in Iran, to undo all the international work of the previous years to end the nuclear program in that country, and who are talking as if a conflict somewhere--maybe an Iranian militia in Iraq--should be a trigger to a massive war, which is why we are so worried about leaving this Chamber for even a day. prgtoken I thank him for raising his voice and sharing his experience.
DISASTER RELIEF
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-23

there is a lot of partisan squabbling that goes on around here. We all know that. Some of it is to be expected. After all, our parties have real disagreements about policy and the direction in which we think the country should go. prgtoken But there are a few issues that are too important to get caught up in the typical partisan back-and-forth--a few fundamental responsibilities that we must fulfill as a governing body. prgtoken One of those responsibilities where there has always been bipartisan agreement has been disaster relief. Hurricanes, fires, and floods don't hit only s or only . They hit Americans of all stripes. We must come together to provide relief for everybody. prgtoken After holding up disaster relief on behalf of the President, who demanded we shortchange Puerto Rico, s finally came around a few weeks ago and agreed with a disaster relief bill that would provide relief to everyone. prgtoken Let me repeat. We have an agreement right now on where and how to provide relief for Americans in the Midwest, in the South, in the West, and in the Territories. Chairman Shelby and Vice Chairman Leahy have worked in good faith to reach that compromise. The House will accept it. Chairman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger also have agreed to this disaster relief package. So there is a package of disaster relief that is ready to go. prgtoken Unfortunately, that agreement has become entangled with extraneous issues. However important these other issues may be, we have an obligation to get this disaster relief package over the finish line before the congressional Memorial Day work period. prgtoken Ranking Member Leahy and I would like to make it clear to my friend the prgtoken leader that Senate are ready to pass the bipartisan disaster relief package that has already been agreed to and written. prgtoken We should leave out extraneous issues. There are many. Everyone wants to put in their own thing. Leave them for another day. prgtoken are willing to work hard to expedite consideration of that agreement. We are ready to work with our colleagues to pass it as quickly as possible. prgtoken I understand that there is some discussion going on in the House, but if we can't come to an agreement this morning on the extraneous issues that the House is discussing, we should set those issues to the side. We should pass the disaster agreement as is and return to those unrelated issues at a later date. The people of the Midwest, of the South, of the West, and of the Territories have waited long enough. They have waited long enough. prgtoken There are millions of Americans still recovering from having their homes destroyed, their crops devastated, their property burnt. They have waited for relief for too long already. They are clamoring for it. They have said to Congress: Put aside your differences and get something done. The plan that I outline
CONGRATULATING THE CHRISTUS SANTA ROSA HEALTH SYSTEM
Joaquin Castro (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System on its 150th anniversary year serving the health care needs of San Antonio and South Texas. Three Catholic Sisters left their families and native country of France 150 years ago in 1869, and traveled to San Antonio, Texas to answer a call to care for victims of a deadly cholera outbreak. This marked the beginnings of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio and the Santa Rosa Infirmary, which still serves the community today. A century and a half later, the infirmary, now known as CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System and The Children's Hospital of San Antonio, has grown and expanded to meet the new health care needs of diverse populations throughout the south Texas region. prgtoken From those three founding Sisters, a network of hospitals and clinics has grown around the world, employing thousands of health care professionals who are still responding with compassion and love to Bishop Dubuis' call 150 years ago. prgtoken In 2019, we celebrate the Congregation's Sesquicentennial in CHRISTUS Health locations throughout Texas, Mexico, South America and the United States. And during this celebration, we remember the first ministry, where it all began--CHRISTUS Santa Rosa. CHRISTUS Health is now one of the top ten Catholic health systems in the United States and a leading provider of uncompensated care among not-for-profit health care systems. prgtoken I congratulate CHRISTUS Santa Rosa on its 150th anniversary and recognize its significant contribution to the state of Texas as a leader prgtoken and provider of quality, faith-based compassionate healthcare. Patients served by CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, including my constituents of the 20th District, are grateful to each of the thousands of nurses, doctors, associates and volunteers who have helped their communities through the years with a commitment to the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa mission of ``extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.''
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-5-23

I am pleased to commend Woods Eastland of Indianola, MS, for his service and contributions while serving as the 83rd president of Delta Council. prgtoken Founded in 1935, Delta Council is a widely respected economic development organization representing business, professional, and agricultural leaders in the Delta region of Mississippi. I commend the Delta Council for its continuing role in improving the quality of life in this unique part of our Country. prgtoken Woods Eastland's tenure as Delta Council president began in June 2018. Under Mr. Eastland's leadership, the Delta region has benefitted from his extensive experience in farm policy, water resource issues, and economic and community development, among other major issues that Delta Council addresses. prgtoken Mr. Eastland graduated from Vanderbilt University and earned a juris doctorate from the University of Mississippi. A Navy veteran, Eastland began farming following his military service. He was also CEO of StaplCotn for over 24 years, where he led the largest cotton marketing firm in the United States, headquartered in Greenwood, MS. Upon his retirement, he became Chairman of the Board for another 8 years. In addition to Delta Council, Eastland serves his church, community, and Delta region through numerous leadership roles. prgtoken I am pleased to offer congratulations to Woods Eastland and to share this appreciation with his wife Lynn, their two children, and grandchildren, at the time of the 84th annual meeting of the membership of Delta Council in June.
RECOGNIZING PURDUE UNIVERSITY'S ALL-AMERICAN MARCHING BAND.
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-5-23

I rise today to celebrate the talent and steadfast dedication of Purdue University's All-American Marching Band, which will be performing for the 100th time at the 103rd Running of the Indy 500. prgtoken Every year, the ``Greatest Spectacle in Racing'' attracts hundreds of thousands of fans to our State's capital. Throughout the last century, Purdue University's marching band has become an indispensable part of the annual festivities with their highly anticipated performance of traditional Indy 500 songs and other popular hits. prgtoken I commend the efforts and hard work put forth by the band's nearly 300 members. Their dedication in rehearsal is sure to pay off when they take to the famed Indy Motor Speedway this Sunday, welcoming spectators from around the world with familiar favorites, including the now customary performance of the classic ``Back Home Again in Indiana.'' prgtoken I especially commend the Purdue University marching band directors, past and present, whose work make this tradition possible. This year, the band will be led by the acclaimed Hoosier, Jay Gephart, professor of music, and Al Wright, chair director of bands and orchestras at Purdue University. I am sure that under his direction, the All-American band will do Indiana proud. prgtoken I also recognize Purdue University's first marching band director, the late Paul Spotts Emrick, who initially forged the relationship between the University and the speedway. He directed Purdue's first performance at the famed 500-mile race in 1919, 100 years ago. prgtoken I applaud Purdue University's marching band for each year dedicating themselves to sharing our Hoosier traditions and heritage with millions of viewers around the world. I extend my thanks to all who ensure that the tradition endures, and I look forward to another great performance this weekend from the Boilermakers. Go Boilers. prgtoken .
SETTING EVERY COMMUNITY UP FOR RETIREMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2019
Kevin Brady (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , 30 seconds. prgtoken Madam , how sad it is that some are trying to make this a partisan, petty measure. prgtoken The truth is, in 2014, in an original draft of tax reform, this provision was included by the Joint Committee on Taxation to simplify the Tax Code and to stop tax loopholes. That draft was praised by my ic colleagues, by Mr. Neal, Mr. Kind, and Mr. Thompson. prgtoken In over 5 years, no one spotted this unintended consequence. When it surfaced, s and came together immediately and resolved to not just fix it but to make it retroactive. prgtoken Why make this a petty, partisan issue? Our Gold Star parents deserve better. prgtoken Madam , .
SETTING EVERY COMMUNITY UP FOR RETIREMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2019
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I thank my friend from Texas for yielding, and I thank him for his work. prgtoken , I rise today in support of H.R. 1994, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act. prgtoken I would like to thank Chairman Neal and Ranking Member Brady for their leadership on this important piece of legislation. prgtoken For families in my district, putting away enough money for retirement is a constant struggle. Now more than ever, we need policies that empower workers to save more and save earlier for retirement. prgtoken I am pleased this legislation includes a provision I coauthored with my colleague from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester). Our bipartisan provision clarifies rules surrounding annuity plans, making it possible for more employers to provide guaranteed lifetime income products as part of their benefits package. Our goal is to remove barriers to saving and give workers a variety of tools so they can choose what option best fits their needs. prgtoken Madam , we have a retirement income crisis in this country, and the SECURE Act will help more Americans retire with dignity and piece of mind. I urge its passage today.
S. 151
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-5-23

yesterday I stood on the floor of our esteemed Senate, and I said: The Senate needs to do more. The Senate needs to do more. prgtoken I was very careful--and I want to reaffirm today--I was very careful not to say we are not doing anything. I talked about our important work on confirming judges. I think we are putting some very fine men and women on the Federal bench, who are going to make our country safer and better. I was also very careful to talk about the fact that after a logjam had been created on the appointments for the President's administration, we were finally able to break that logjam. We have started confirming some new advisers for the President. prgtoken I am very proud of the good work this body has done, but I did make the point that we need to do more. I talked about the fact that, in my judgment, there are many issues--if we think about them--on which my ic friends and my colleagues have more in common than we don't, but we can't determine whether that is accurate unless we vote, unless we bring bills to the floor, unless we get bills in front of the committee and mark them up. That is our word, as you know, for amending a bill. prgtoken One of the bills I talked about yesterday was the need for bipartisan support for trying to do something about the spam, fraudulent robocalls the American people are getting, about which Senator Collins just spoke so eloquently. I said there would be bipartisan support. I believed it. I believe it even more today. I am very proud of the Senate because we just passed a bill. Do you know how many people voted against it? One. One ``no'' vote. See what happens when Senators are allowed to be Senators? prgtoken There are other efforts that we can work on together. The cost of prescription drugs--I spoke about that yesterday. I don't want to go into it more today. prgtoken I will give you another one, and I know this is controversial, but I think it is less controversial than people realize--net neutrality, the importance of people being able to access the Internet freely without being blocked or without their speeds being throttled or without their being censored. prgtoken That is a very controversial issue around here, but I still believe we share more in common than we don't on that issue. I talk with my colleagues all the time. I say: We need to pass a bill. Do you know why? Because the businessmen and the businesswomen and the consumers need some predictability in this area. What happens now is, if we have a ic President who gets control of the FCC, they pass one set of net neutrality rules, and then if we have a President who gets control of the FCC, they pass a different set of net neutrality rules. The business community and the consumers are like ping pong balls. There is no predictability. There is no certainty. You can't plan. So everybody says: We need to pass a bill. Well, I am going to say it t