mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING PRESIDENT KEN WOLLACK OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE
David E. Price (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2018-6-8

I rise today to honor the life and work of Kenneth Wollack, President of the National ic Institute (NDI), who is stepping down after a career in foreign affairs, journalism, and politics that has spanned 46 years. prgtoken An Illinois native and graduate of Earlham College, Ken broke into national politics as a member of the national staff of the McGovern presidential campaign in 1972. From 1973 to 1980 he was legislative director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He then became a co-editor of the Middle East Policy Survey, a Washington- based newsletter, and wrote regularly on foreign affairs for the Los Angeles Times. prgtoken Ken joined NDI as executive vice president in 1986 and was elected president by the Institute's board of directors in 1993. He has now led the Institute for more than two-thirds of its history, working on five continents to strengthen political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, promote citizen participation, and champion openness and accountability in government. prgtoken Through his years of service, Ken has testified before numerous congressional committees and has appeared on national television and radio as a trusted authority on world affairs. He has served on various task forces sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Brookings Institution, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Center for U.S. Global Engagement, and the Atlantic Council. He currently serves on USAID's Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid, sits on the Commission on Presidential Debates' Board of Directors, and was chairman of the development program of the U.S. Committee for the United Nations. prgtoken In a speech given at the 10th Anniversary of Georgetown University's Masters Program in Democracy and Governance Ken reflected, ``I confess to be an incurable optimist who for 32 years has worked in the optimism business.'' His optimism and tireless dedication to promoting and protecting democracy, good governance, and human rights have earned respect and appreciation across the political spectrum in our country and abroad. prgtoken I have been honored to work with Ken and the entire team at NDI in implementing this hopeful vision through the bipartisan work of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP). From the time HDP began its work in 2005, NDI and its partner organization within the National Endowment for Democracy, the International Institute (IRI), have been indispensable partners in strengthening legislative institutions in twenty emerging or reemerging democracies--ranging from Indonesia and Kenya to Ukraine, Georgia, Peru, Tunisia, and Sri Lanka. HDP has engaged member-to-member and staff-to-staff, while NDI and IRI have helped us organize workshops and exchange visits and have carried out mentoring and consultation aimed at improved legislative practice day- to-day in our partner countries. prgtoken T
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Jacky Rosen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-6-8

. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of our amendment, which strikes a provision in this bill that would prohibit the future closure of the Yucca Mountain project. prgtoken This extreme language severely undercuts any opportunity to pursue viable alternatives for Yucca Mountain, including job-creating alternatives that OMB would be required to study under my bill, the Jobs, Not Waste Act. prgtoken Even worse, this language we're seeking to strike would essentially prevent another community that consents to storing nuclear waste from being considered as the nation's nuclear repository--effectively closing the door to safer, more viable sites and forcing Nevada to become the sole dumping ground for nuclear waste we never even generated. prgtoken Based on DOE's own studies, Yucca Mountain is unfit as a repository site for nuclear waste because of the impact it would have on national transportation. prgtoken This bill throws evidence-based policy making out the window in a narrow-minded effort to force Nevada into being a nuclear waste dump. prgtoken Instead of spending billions more in hard-earned taxpayer money on this project that's destined to fail and that will inevitably put families across the country at risk, let's leave the door open to forward-thinking alternatives for Yucca Mountain.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-6-8

. Mr. Chair, I acknowledge the work of the appropriators. As an appropriator myself, I have great respect for the work that they do. But I have concerns about the bill that is before us on the floor today. prgtoken Mr. Chair, as you know, a budget should be a statement of our national values. What is important to us as a Nation should be how we allocate our resources in that budget, and its manifestations in terms of appropriations bills should not be doing harm. This is really a partisan spending bill that tramples over some of our American values, gutting smart investments in our economy, hurting Americans' health, and endangering families. prgtoken The s are pushing forward a minibus appropriations bill that fails to protect the interests of the American people. prgtoken Many of us have been attracted to the political process--as moms, as parents--to effect public policy to promote the well-being of our children in ways that are beyond our own control. We can give them all the love, attention, and care, but we cannot guarantee the quality of air that they breathe, the cleanliness of the water that they drink, and the world in which they live in terms of the environment. prgtoken So I have very serious concerns about the danger posed in the Energy and Water portion of this bill. It cuts vital clean energy initiatives, even as gas prices surge because of the President's reckless policies. It attacks job-creating investments in transformational energy technologies and slashes funding for critical nuclear nonproliferation priorities. prgtoken In terms of the children of whom I spoke earlier, this GOP bill also includes unacceptable poison pill riders that permit deadly firearms to be carried on public land, assaults the clean water our children drink, encourages pollution of our oceans, and pushes our Nation's already endangered species toward extinction. prgtoken This bad bill is a first step in the s' plan to choke off funding--and this is really the critical part of it for me--for vital ic priorities for America's families later in the appropriations process. It paves the way for their plan to starve key investments in health, education, and good-paying jobs for communities across the country. prgtoken , the s are wasting everyone's time when we should be focused on meeting the urgent needs of the American people. The majority has spent this entire Congress stacking the deck for special interests, as they do in these poison pills in this bill, while undermining the interests of families. prgtoken The are focusing on what matters in the lives of the American people. We are committed to giving the American people A Better Deal: Better Jobs, Better Pay, Better Future; and for our children, not to promote air pollution, which is what this bill would do, but to eliminate it. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join in voting ``no'' on this bill for our economy
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-6-8

I want to thank the ranking member for her help on this issue. prgtoken I appreciate the opportunity to speak about an issue that is very important to my constituents and, of course, to me. I began my career as a nurse, where I provided hands-on patient care for 15 years at the Dallas Veterans Administration Hospital. I actually opened the psychiatric service. prgtoken I rise today regarding an issue that is prevalent in my district and, more likely, is coming around the country: the Department of Veterans Affairs delaying, sometimes for years, payments for services that have been authorized by the VA and performed subject to their requirements. prgtoken Small business vendors depend on timely payments in order to pay for their services, pay their employees, and conduct business that they have agreed to perform for the price the VA has agreed to pay. prgtoken Veterans and their care are very important to me, and one thing I have noticed in my career, both at the VA and prgtoken here in Congress, is that it is important that getting the payment, whatever and wherever it is owed, and whether that is the veteran, a physician, or a contractor, is important. prgtoken I could talk about a number of things about the VA, but one of the things that is really hurting veterans is the delay of payment of vendors that render service. prgtoken The other week, one of the small vendors came into my office and said he was still waiting for payment from 2015. These vendors, for the most part, offer services to the veterans away from the hospital. It should not take that long for them to be paid. prgtoken It is ruining the home healthcare program because they cannot continue, year after year, to deliver this care without getting paid; and many of the small vendors have stopped servicing the veterans because they never see payment in sight. So that is a major issue which I came to speak about today. prgtoken Fee-basis care is preapproved by the VA, and the veteran, VA facility, and provider are all aware of the costs of the care being performed. There should not be a delay in delivering payment for essential services provided to the veteran. prgtoken Many of these small businesses have to file lawsuits and get attorneys to retrieve their money. Many of them have been put out of business and made up their mind they cannot service veterans because they cannot get paid in a timely manner. Two or 3 years late for payment is a long time for small businesses. prgtoken My concern is this slow-walking of claim payments is endemic throughout the VA, and veterans are being held responsible for the delay. Not all contractors are as savvy as my constituent and might not know what the next step should be to resolve these issues. prgtoken My amendment is designed to encourage the VA to report on the number of vendors who are being held hostage to slow payment around the country and how much money is being tied up in these delays. These sm
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Terri A. Sewell (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2018-6-8

during the votes held the night of June 7, 2018, and votes held on June 8, 2018, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my District and the State of Alabama. Had I been present, I would have voted NO on H.R. 3. Regarding amendments to H.R. 5895, I would have voted YES on the Tsongas Amendment; YES on the Beyer Amendment; NO on the Gosar (No. 24) Amendment; YES on the Lee Amendment; YES on the Connolly Amendment; NO on the Gosar (No. 29) Amendment; YES on the Lowenthal Amendment; NO on the Blackburn Amendment; No on the Norman Amendment; NO on the Gohmert Amendment; NO on the Meadows Amendment; and YES on the Takano Amendment. I would have voted YES prgtoken on the ic Motion to Recommit H.R. 5895, and NO on Final Passage of H.R. 5895.
HONORING KENT BRAITHWAITE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AS A SOCIAL STUDIES AND ENGLISH TEACHER AT COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Raul Ruiz (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-6-8

I rise today to congratulate Mr. Kent Braithwaite on his retirement after 39 years of service as a teacher, counselor, and role model for the students of Coachella Valley High School. prgtoken During his tenure, Mr. Braithwaite has left an indelible impression on countless students. As a social studies and English teacher, an advisor, and a mentor, he has helped countless students prepare for and pursue a college education. More importantly, he instilled in his students a lifelong love of learning. prgtoken Many years ago, I was one of those students in Mr. Braithwaite's English class. I like to think I tried my best in every class--but Mr. Braithwaite was the kind of teacher who not only taught, but inspired his students to work even harder. He challenged my classmates and me every day, pushing us to write clearly, read carefully, and question the beliefs and assumptions we brought to his classroom. prgtoken In the Coachella Valley--the region I grew up in and have the privilege to represent--there are still far too many young people who drop out of school before they can graduate or pursue a higher education. Teachers like Mr. Braithwaite are helping to show these students that they can achieve their dreams by pursuing their education. prgtoken During his nearly four decades of teaching, Mr. Braithwaite has served his fellow teachers prgtoken and the Coachella Valley Unified School District in various leadership positions, and received prestigious recognitions from the California State Assembly, the House of Representatives, and many local advocacy organizations for his excellence in teaching. Most importantly, he has the gratitude of thousands of Coachella Valley High School alumni. prgtoken Mr. Braithwaite is joining his wife and fellow teacher, Jennifer Braithwaite, for a well-earned retirement. Over her 38-year career, Mrs. Braithwaite invited Holocaust survivors and Vietnam veterans to speak to her classes, gave out scholarships to her students, and helped bring the Advanced Placement program to Coachella Valley High School. Like her husband, Mrs. Braithwaite has always gone above and beyond to serve her students. prgtoken On behalf of all the students whose lives Mr. and Mrs. Braithwaite have touched, I would like to offer my sincerest thanks and congratulations to them both on their inspiring and meaningful careers.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-6-8

let me again express my appreciation. prgtoken As I indicated, there is a very solid and strong stand on this bill regarding providing for our homeless veterans. It is something that we contend with in our city of Houston, but we are grateful that the local officials are very concerned about it. prgtoken I want to make sure as we go to conference that our focus will continue to be on making sure that maybe in our lifetime we extinguish this concept of homeless veterans and homelessness among veterans by providing them with a pathway to opportunity and success. prgtoken So I ask my colleagues to support my amendment, and .
HONORING THE CAREER AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF PRINCIPAL JAMES P. ANTOS
Daniel Lipinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-6-8

I rise today to honor the career and accomplishments of Principal James P. Antos of Brother Rice High School in Chicago. As he prepares to retire, we cannot help but admire his service and hope that his example and distinguished tenure are emulated in the future. Jim, a local Chicagoan, has been nurturing young minds for 44 years. After deciding in his junior year of high school to become a teacher, Jim earned a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in General Experimental Psychology from Illinois State University. He then began his career in education in 1974 as a psychology and history teacher. From there, he quickly expanded his duties and involved himself in student activities and recruitment, going above and beyond his core responsibilities. In 1979, Jim found his way to Brother Rice High School, where, in addition to his teaching role, he would serve as the baseball coach, Dean of Faculty, Dean of Students, and eventually Principal. His students and peers have frequently praised him, describing him as a father figure, lauding his calm and consistent leadership, and applauding his honest, caring, and compassionate demeanor. As one student recalled, Jim never forgot a name, not just in his own class, but in the entire school. This outstanding public servant has devoted his life to his students, both in the classroom and on the field. In addition to cultivating the future of America, Jim has also stood in defense of it. He served in the U.S. Army while engaged in Vietnam where he was stationed outside of Qui Nhon at Camp Granite. Jim has not only taught history but has been a part of it--providing the students of Brother Rice with a unique perspective to our nation's story. He has also provided them with wisdom, knowledge, and direction, while helping to guide countless students through high school. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Principal James P. Antos and his accomplishments. I congratulate him on his retirement and thank him for his decades of service at Brother Rice High School.
IN RECOGNITION OF RABBI BENNETT F. MILLER
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-6-8

I rise today to congratulate Rabbi Bennett F. Miller on his retirement as Senior Rabbi of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rabbi Miller has dedicated over 40 years to Anshe Emeth and his commitment and leadership are truly deserving of this body's recognition. prgtoken Ordained a Rabbi in 1974, Rabbi Miller joined Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple the same year. Since that time, he has provided outstanding spiritual guidance to the congregation and has promoted and supported a mission of social action and community service. In addition to his work at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, Rabbi Miller is also a member of the Jewish Agency for Israel Board of Governors and is Immediate Past-Chair of the Association of Reform Zionists of America. prgtoken Prior to his service at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, Rabbi Miller served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Havurah in New York and the New Jersey State Advisory Council on the Holocaust. Rabbi Miller earned his doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary and his Master of Arts and Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, as well as a certificate in Non- Profit Management and Fundraising from New York University. prgtoken , please join me in congratulating Rabbi Miller on his retirement and thanking him for his many years of dedicated service and leadership to Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple and the greater community.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-6-8

I thank my friend for the information he has given us, and I certainly thank him for his comments at the close of his initial statement on the colloquy. prgtoken We are all ecstatic, as I am sure the gentleman can understand, that after 44 years--and I might say I was an initial season ticket holder to the Washington Capitals, who started their career at the Capital Center in Prince George's County under the ownership and tutelage of Abe Pollin, an extraordinary member of our community who died, and then now under Ted Leonsis' leadership, and, of course, Alex Ovechkin's extraordinary accomplishments of his own, being named the most valuable player. prgtoken And I might say, as I know the gentleman would join me in saying, the Las Vegas team had an extraordinary accomplishment themselves, being the first expansion team ever to make it to the finals in the National Championship. prgtoken So, it was a wonderful night for those of us who live in the Washington National Capital area, and we thank the gentleman for his observation. prgtoken Let me say as well, that we share the gentleman's happiness that the economy is doing well. It is doing well. What he did not observe, but we are happy about, is that President , under his leadership, took this economy from the worst economy that the gentleman and I have experienced in our lifetimes to one of the best. prgtoken Now, it was not the best, because the best economy was under Bill Clinton in the late 1990s in terms of almost every indication. But it is certainly positive information, as the gentleman has pointed out, of where the economy is now. prgtoken So we all welcome that. We are hopeful, of course, that we will build on that. prgtoken The gentleman mentions there are over 6 million jobs available. One of the challenges, as the gentleman knows, is that we don't have the skill sets matching the jobs, and that is why they are vacant. That is why they are unable to fill them. We need to, I think, focus on that. We need to focus on investing in our infrastructure. prgtoken But as was mentioned on the floor yesterday in terms of a couple of the bills Tim Ryan, in particular, mentioned, there are still 4 in 10 adults who can't pay a $400 bill if it came present. So we have work to do, and hopefully we can do that together. prgtoken But it certainly is good news that unemployment is down and the economy is moving along, continuing in the path that, from our perspective, was set by President , and that President , unlike President , inherited a thriving, robust, growing economy. So I am pleased that we have gone to that place. prgtoken Now, I know the gentleman indicated that a number of opioid-related bills will be on the floor next week. I talked to the chairman of the committee yesterday, the gentleman from Oregon, and most of those are bipartisan bills. I hope all of them will end up, as they come to the floor, as bipartisan bills. prgtoken The addi
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Salud O. Carbajal (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-6-8

in order to attend my son's graduation on Thursday, June 7, 2018, I was unable to cast my votes on roll call numbers 240 through 252. prgtoken Had I been present, I would have voted: prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 240--On ordering the previous question; prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 241--On agreeing to the resolution; prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 242--On approving the Journal; prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 243--On passage of H.R. 3, a rescissions bill, which eliminates Children's Health Insurance Program funding; prgtoken AYE on Roll Call No. 244--On agreeing to the Tsongas amendment to increase funding for the purposes of offshore wind job training grants; prgtoken AYE on Roll Call No. 245--On agreeing to the Beyer amendment to restore funding for clean energy research; prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 246--On agreeing to the Gosar amendment to eliminate funding for clean energy; prgtoken AYE on Roll Call No. 247--On agreeing to the Lee amendment; prgtoken AYE on Roll Call No. 248--On agreeing to the Connolly amendment; prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 249--On agreeing to the Gosar amendment; prgtoken AYE on Roll Call No. 250--On agreeing to the Lowenthal amendment to support clean oceans; prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 251--On agreeing to the Blackburn amendment; and prgtoken NAY on Roll Call No. 252--On agreeing to the Norman amendment.