mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SETTING EVERY COMMUNITY UP FOR RETIREMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2019
Ron Estes (Republican, KS) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I rise today in support of the SECURE Act. It is an overall good policy that will encourage Americans to save for retirement. prgtoken I am pleased that this bill makes it easier for small businesses to join together and offer retirement plans for more Americans. It allows graduate students and home healthcare workers to save more for retirement. prgtoken It includes a policy change to help Gold Star families. It also includes a fix to the taxation of children's unearned income that will support American Indian Tribal youth and encourage them to pursue a college education, similar to the legislation that I helped introduce with my colleague from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore). prgtoken Finally, this bill will allow 529 plans to be used to pay for student loans and apprenticeship programs. prgtoken As a former State treasurer of Kansas, I oversaw a 529 plan and understand the importance of expanding these plans for our families. That is why I am disappointed that the manager's amendment removed good policy from this legislation that would have allowed 529 plans to help be used for expenses for K-12 education and to help special needs children. prgtoken Earlier this year, my colleagues and I on the Ways and Means Committee entered good faith negotiations with Chairman Neal and our ic colleagues to craft this bill. As a result, s and on the committee unanimously voted for the SECURE Act in April. prgtoken However, since that time, the other side of the aisle played politics with this legislation when it was before the Rules Committee and removed those additional 529 provisions that were originally included to help special needs students. So, while I support today's bill and the policies that are still included, I sincerely hope that, moving forward, we can stop playing politics with good pieces of legislation and work in a bipartisan manner and negotiate in good faith to produce legislation that will help the American people.
MEMORIAL DAY
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-5-23

as I reflected on Sergeant Smith's story, I began to think about Memorial Day and the ways we honor the valor of every soldier who has made that ultimate sacrifice. One of the first official Memorial Day observances was in 1868, and it was just over the Potomac River in Arlington National Cemetery. If you have not been there to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, I encourage you to do that. prgtoken In 1868, individuals gathered to honor those who had lost their life in the Civil War, and they gathered to decorate the graves of the fallen, both the Union and Confederate soldiers. This set a precedent for what would become a national day of unity. Think about that, a national day of unity, of mourning, and of remembrance. As the years went by, Americans took greater steps to memorialize the fallen and those who have exercised valor and have chosen to make that ultimate sacrifice. prgtoken After World War I, observances were expanded to honor those who fell in all American wars. Finally, it was in 1971 that Congress declared Memorial Day to be a national holiday. Since then, each year, at the end of May, cities across the Nation have lowered their flags to half- staff as a silent reminder of the cost of the freedom. prgtoken Just like Sergeant Smith, the fallen warriors we honor this Memorial Day made a choice to serve this Nation. They knew it wouldn't be easy. They knew it would be dangerous or even deadly, but they knew that it would be worth it because it would be a step in preserving freedom and freedom's cause. It is this choice--and the choice to serve bravely and selflessly on behalf of a grateful nation--that we remember, as we debated crucial legislation supporting our Armed Forces. prgtoken Memorial Day marks the conclusion of Military Appreciation Month, which has provided each of us an opportunity to unite and reflect upon the heroic courage of all the members of our Armed Forces. We thank them continually for the service they provided and the sacrifices that they and their families make on behalf of this Nation and freedom. prgtoken Yesterday, members of the Armed Services Committee--of which and I are each a member of this committee--completed our first steps in ensuring that this year's National Defense Authorization Act fully funds the resources our military needs to defend against the threats that we face on land, by sea, in air, and of course in the cyber realm. Our proposed $750 billion national defense budget will more than support this goal and includes a much-needed and well- deserved pay increase for our military men and women. prgtoken The NDAA, as it is called in an acronym that we hear around here so regularly, is just one piece of our greater promise to care for soldiers on and off the battlefield. As Members of Congress, we have a duty to keep the promise to those who bravely defend the safety and the security of the American people. Also
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF GOLF LEGEND, ALICE DYE
Susan W. Brooks (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Alice Holliday Dye, an Indiana golf legend and accomplished amateur champion. Known as the ``First Lady'' of golf course architecture, Alice and her husband, Pete, co-designed some of the country's most high-profile championship golf courses, including Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana. The people of Indiana's Fifth Congressional District are forever grateful for Alice's significant contributions to the City of Carmel, Hamilton County, the state of Indiana, and the nation. prgtoken Alice was born on February 19, 1927, in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she won the Indiana State Junior championship at the age of 15. She graduated from Shortridge High School and graduated with honors from Rollins College in Florida, where she was captain of the women's golf team and a member of the men's team. Following her graduation, she worked as a life insurance saleswoman, becoming one of the few women in the business at the time, eventually earning a spot in the Women's Quarter Million Dollar Roundtable. prgtoken A trailblazer, Alice was a female pioneer in the golfing community. Alice's passion for golf began at a young age, spending time at the Woodstock Club in Indianapolis. It was there she fell in love with the beautiful fairways and the game itself. Later, Alice went on to have a standout career in golf, winning over 50 amateur championships during her lifetime including nine State Championships in Indiana, the Woman's North and South, the Women's Eastern, the National Ladies Club Championship, two USGA Senior and two Canadian Senior Tournaments, as well as five Women's Western Senior Tournaments, National Ladies Club Championship, and played on the 1970 Curtis Cup Team. Alice also won a gold medal in golf at the Senior Olympics. prgtoken Collaborating with her husband, Pete Dye, she co-designed Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana, where she and Pete had a home on the 18th hole. Alice and Pete also prgtoken worked together to design Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, and the TPC Sawgrass, with its famous par-3 17th hole with an island green, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Through her success on the greens and the remarkable course designs, Alice was relentlessly dedicated to ensuring that women players were not forgotten and is credited as the champion for the two tee system that made formidable courses more playable for women. prgtoken Alice's work is a true testament to her outstanding career and selfless contributions. Alice served the sport by becoming the first woman president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects in 1997 and the first woman to serve as an independent director of the PGA of America in 1999. She was honored with numerous awards and accolades, including being inducted into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame in 1976 and was voted PGA's First Lady of Golf in 2004.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ENDING OF SRI LANKA'S CIVIL WAR
Bill Johnson (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the 10- year anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka's decades-long civil war, a conflict that is estimated to have left over 100,000 people dead. prgtoken Today, I wish I could also rise in celebration of a now-unified Sri Lanka, where war crimes for this bloody conflict had been accounted for and transitional justice had occurred; where land used by Sri Lanka's military had been fully returned to its citizens and the government was a true democracy, operating with transparency and representative of all its people, regardless of ethnicity or religious beliefs. However, 10 years later, these essential rights have yet to be fully recognized. prgtoken , while it is true that the Sirisena government has made some progress towards fulfilling its commitments at the U.N. Human Rights Council, I rise to urge the Sri Lankan Government to make meaningful progress on all fronts to restore democratic principles for all Sri Lankans and ensure the country can move forward as a unified, prosperous nation.
EQUALITY ACT
David B. McKinley (Republican, WV) \u2014 2019-5-23

let me be clear: I oppose discrimination in all forms, and agree that individuals should have protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender. Unfortunately, H.R. 5, the Equality Act, is a radical overreach that goes beyond the scope of discrimination and would harm doctors, families, women, religious groups, and many others. prgtoken The Equality Act fails to include conscience protections for doctors who have a moral or religious objection to the services they will be required to provide under the legislation. This bill would force doctors to forego their expertise and provide gender-affirming therapies, even if it goes against their best medical judgement. It could also force doctors and nurses to perform abortion-related services, regardless of their religious or moral objections. prgtoken This legislation also harms protections for women's sports provided by Title IX. Women are already beginning to lose sporting competitions and scholarships to their biologically male competitors who identify as females. These women have worked hard for their achievements and deserve the chance to compete on a level playing field. prgtoken Most importantly, the Equality Act would prevent parents from making health care choices that impact their own children and could even lead to parents losing custody of their children. In some states, like Ohio, this is already happening. A judge recently removed a biological girl from her parents custody after they did not allow her to take testosterone supplements to help her transition to a male. The federal government should not play a role in these important decisions. prgtoken This legislation does not serve as a constructive path forward to addressing the issue of discrimination in our country. That is why I voted against the Equality Act. It is yet another example of a messaging bill that will not be taken up in the Senate and therefore, will never be signed into law. Isn't it time that Congress finally put American families ahead of divisive, partisan politics?
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF TOMMIE LOUISE CAUDLE
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I ask for the House's attention to recognize the 100th birthday of Tommie Louise Caudle. prgtoken Ms. Caudle was born on June 5, 1919 to J.H. Caudle and Sallie White Caudle in Sylacauga, Alabama. She graduated from Sylacauga High School in 1937 and started working at Southern Bell Telephone as a telephone operator at age 16. prgtoken She attended Judson College her freshman year during which she was a member of Baptist Young People's Union. She also attended the University of Alabama. Ms. Caudle worked for South Central Bell until she retired in 1974. prgtoken Madam , please join me in wishing Ms. Caudle a happy 100th birthday.
SETTING EVERY COMMUNITY UP FOR RETIREMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2019
Adrian Smith (Republican, NE) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I do want to say that I plan to vote for this bill. I support the improvements it makes to savings and retirement, which have gained bipartisan approval, both in the Senate and here in the House. prgtoken In particular, I appreciate hearing from agricultural cooperatives across Nebraska's Third District about the importance to them of the language in this bill reducing PBGC premiums for nonprofits. prgtoken I am also incredibly pleased we are moving quickly to address the Gold Star families tax issue and hope we can complete work on that problem as quickly--if not more quickly--as the rest of the provisions in this bill. prgtoken I do have reservations and concerns about the process which got us here and some provisions which are no longer in the bill. prgtoken As we know, the bill was marked up in the Ways and Means Committee on April 2. We reported it out unanimously, a very bipartisan effort. It was moved out of committee by a voice vote. prgtoken Prior to the markup, there were no concerns raised about the provisions in the bill, provisions that would help families pay for the education of their children, whether in home school or public school. As we know, many expenses come up for various reasons. prgtoken It is unfortunate that that took place, and I know that this wasn't the first time. Actually, it was the second time in 2 weeks that we are here considering legislation that was a product of bipartisan agreement in committee, but it was altered before it came to the House. It is very unfortunate. prgtoken And as I said at the beginning, I am going to support this bill. It has many good provisions, but I hope that we can avoid similar situations from undermining the committee process, undermining the integrity of the committee system that we have that empowers individual Members to work together with colleagues on a bipartisan basis. Let's not undermine that. prgtoken Again, I will vote for this bill. It could have been a better bill, and I hope next time we can address the shortcomings, moving forward.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE TRADITION OF BREAKFAST ON THE FARM IN BROWN COUNTY
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2019-5-23

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the tradition of Breakfast on the Farm in Brown County. prgtoken Breakfast on the Farm is an iconic Wisconsin tradition that provides the community an opportunity to see first-hand how a dairy farm operates, and to learn about the significant role the dairy industry plays in Wisconsin's economy. Community members meet dairy farmers, explore the barns and equipment, and enjoy a delicious meal prepared on the farm. prgtoken In 1997, Dennis and Mary Zirbel moved from Collins, WI, to establish DenMar Acres, their dairy farm in Greenleaf, WI. Their sons Jeremy, Jeff, and Jesse are partners on the farm where the family milks 950 cows and manages 1,900 acres. Always pursuing innovative practices, DenMar Acres implements advanced technologies such as the Juno robot Feed Pushers, to help increase yields and improve efficiency on their farm. I am grateful to DenMar Acres for hosting the 2019 Brown County Breakfast on the Farm. prgtoken Brown County Dairy Promotion has been organizing Breakfast on the Farm since 2001, recruiting farm hosts, sponsors, and volunteers to support this terrific event. To continue the promotion of agriculture throughout the year, all proceeds of Breakfast on the Farm are donated to provide free educational programs to students studying agriculture in Brown County. prgtoken Madam , I urge all members of this body to join me in commending the efforts of Breakfast on the Farm to educate the community through this time-honored tradition. Thank you to the Zirbels, Brown County Dairy Promotion, and the countless sponsors and volunteers for their continued support of Wisconsin's dairy industry.
TRIBUTE TO THE ALEXANDER FAMILY
Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) \u2014 2019-5-23

it is my honor today to pay tribute to five native Utahns who are brothers and veterans of World War II and Korea: William, Gail, George, Jack, and Bert Alexander. prgtoken These five brothers answered the call to defend our freedom and the freedoms of others from foreign invaders. Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and the North Koreans believed it their right to attack and forcefully restrict the freedoms of their neighbors, but these brothers recognized that our freedom as American citizens is inextricably linked to the freedom of our friends and allies. Remaining safely protected in Northern Utah was not an option for the Alexander brothers; they answered the call to take up arms and defend freedom's cause. prgtoken One brother, SGT Gail Alexander, was killed in action exactly 75 years ago tomorrow, May 24, 1944, during the Anzio campaign to retake Rome, Italy. The Anzio campaign and then Operation Neptune--or D-day, as it came to be known--marked an important turning point in World War II, with the Allies beginning to liberate and retake German-occupied Europe, restoring freedom to the French and Italians and subsequently to the rest of Europe. prgtoken Prior to his death, Gail received a Purple Heart and Silver Star citation for Gallantry when on February 4, 1944, after sustaining a gunshot injury to his hand, he singlehandedly took out a prgtoken German machine gun position that had held up his entire company. Alone and the his company under fire, Gail gradually ran 130 yards across the battlefield, machine guns kicking up dirt on both sides of him and artillery shells falling all around. He made it to the machine gun position, knocking it out with grenades, allowing his company to come out from under cover. prgtoken In the official military report of the incident, Gail's commanding officer said, ``Sergeant Alexander's fearless action under direct machine gun fire for , enabled our company to obtain the objective . . . and prevented any further casualties to our own men.'' prgtoken Gail's brothers William, George, and Jack all returned home after serving in various capacities more than 2 years each all throughout the European theater. The youngest brother, Bert Alexander, who just passed away on April 2 of this year at the age of 87, was too young to serve in World War II but still answered the call to defend liberty when he embarked for service in Korea. prgtoken So today I, along with the entire U.S. Senate, honor these five brothers, their Gold Star mother, and their families, both living and deceased. We remember their tremendous service and sacrifice, and we express our profound gratitude for their sacrifice in defending freedom for us and for America's allies.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Eric Swalwell (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-24

. Madam , I missed votes on Monday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 22. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Roll Call Vote Number 218 (Passage of H.R. 1952, the Intercountry Adoption Information Act): yes; Roll Call Vote Number 219 (Passage of H. Res. 106): yes; Roll Call Vote Number 220 (Ordering the Previous Question): yes; Roll Call Vote Number 221 (Passage of H. Res. 389): yes; Roll Call Vote Number 222 (Passage of H. AMDT, 248 to H.R. 1500 offered by Rep. Bryan Steil): no; Roll Call Vote Number 223 (Passage of H. AMDT, 252 to H.R. 1500 offered by Rep. Michael Burgess): no; Roll Call Vote Number 224 (Passage of H. AMDT. 253 to H.R. 1500 offered by Rep. Michael Burgess): no; Roll Call Vote Number 225 (Passage of H. AMDT. 260 to H.R. 1500 offered by Rep. Haley Stevens): yes; Roll Call Vote Number 226 (Passage of H. AMDT. 263 to H.R. 1500 offered by Rep. Al Green): yes; Roll Call Vote Number 227 (Adoption of Motion to Recommit to H.R. 1500): no; and Roll Call Vote Number 228 (Passage of H.R. 1500, the Consumers First Act): yes.
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS JAMES DALY POST 200 100TH ANNIVERSARY
Eliot L. Engel (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-24

. Madam , I rise today to commemorate the Veterans of Foreign Wars James Daly Post 200 in Hastings-on-Hudson as they celebrate their 100th anniversary. Our veterans truly are our nation's greatest heroes. For a century now, Post 200 in Hastings has been an invaluable center and resource for veterans in my Congressional District, and has provided a strong sense of community for its members. prgtoken Post 200's exemplary commitment to veterans and the community is truly inspiring. Their annual Memorial Day parade in Hastings is a staple of the community that year after year does a beautiful job of honoring our service members. The event brings veterans, friends, families, and community members together from across my district to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. prgtoken Members of James Daly Post 200 risked their lives to serve our country overseas. I am thankful for their service, and the vital role Post 200 plays in connecting veterans throughout my district. It is my absolute honor to commemorate their centennial anniversary.
RECOGNIZING THE LEGACY OF BOB BERG
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-5-24

. Madam , it is with great honor that we recognize the legacy of Bob Berg, a communications professional and long-time public servant in the city of Detroit. prgtoken Born April 1, 1943, in Watseka, Illinois, Mr. Berg grew up on farms in central Illinois and went on to earn his bachelor's degree in political science from Wesleyan University where he wrote for the student paper. After graduating, Mr. Berg held several positions, including leading the state capitol bureau for United Press International covering Governor William G. Milliken. He was later hired in the Public Affairs office of Milliken. prgtoken In 1982, Mr. Berg went on to the role for which he is most well- known, serving as press secretary for Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young. Mr. Berg's professionalism and work ethic earned him his reputation for being an exceptional press secretary. He served on Mayor Young's staff for eleven years, touching on many issues that faced Detroiters. prgtoken Beyond his time serving under Mayor Young, Mr. Berg began his own communications firm. He was honored by New Detroit in 2014 with a Leadership in Race Relations award and by the Detroit Urban League in 2018 as a Distinguished Warrior. Mr. Berg served on several organizations, including on the board of the Coleman A. Young Foundation, the Detroit Police Foundation, and the Detroit Urban League. prgtoken It is with great sadness that we recognize the great loss of Bob Berg and give tribute to his surviving family.