mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I have comments about my giving remarks at the end of the week, so it might be worth setting a little history of these Special Order remarks. prgtoken In 2005 and 2006, my first term, I was not prone to give any remarks in Special Orders, but I observed during those 2 years that one of my classmates that came in January 2005, like I did, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and some other arranged each night, often taking both hours of Special Orders that their party was afforded. prgtoken I was told by s who had been here for a long time, ``You know, prgtoken nobody is paying any attention to what they are saying. They are making themselves look bad. They make us look good by what they say.'' prgtoken There were times I would say, ``But are you paying attention to what they are saying?'' prgtoken You could see on C-SPAN sometimes when the sound was off, it would be scrolling, and I would say, ``Look what they are saying. They are blaming us for all kinds of things. We need to respond. This isn't accurate.'' prgtoken And I was told, ``Look, you know, don't worry about it. It doesn't make any difference.'' prgtoken And over the course of 2 years, I saw that a group that called themselves the 30 Somethings--everyone that was probably in their sixties or seventies, but otherwise in their thirties--that they did affect national opinion. I mean, you could see over that many nights, they made a difference. prgtoken After that, I endeavored to try to address some of the critical issues when I had the chance, if other Members of my party were not taking those opportunities. prgtoken So on fly-out days, when so many are rushing and have to get to the airport by a certain time, they don't have time to come down here and address some of our critical issues, then I volunteer. I will stay an extra hour or two before catching a plane back to Texas in order to address some of these important things. And it is a great opportunity. prgtoken I used to do more than one Special Order a week many times, but my friend, and I mean that sincerely, John Garamendi, had referred to a new rule that was put in place this year that no one could take more than one Special Order during the week, my friend, John, referred to that as the Louie Gohmert rule. prgtoken The good thing about that was that it enabled me not to just continue as I had been year after year encouraging other s to take a Special Order and address some of these important national issues, then I was able this year to tell them, ``Look, I can only do one a week, so you guys have got to start signing up for Special Orders and taking the time, addressing areas that you know well that we need to communicate about.'' prgtoken So I have been very pleased with how many of my colleagues have signed up for Special Orders and addressed critical issues, helped educate on the matters before us, because you don't always get straight and accurate
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Rick W. Allen (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam Chair, I rise to thank the chairwoman and ranking member for including the Allen-Hice amendment in this en bloc package. prgtoken Congressman Hice and I worked together to introduce this bipartisan amendment to fully fund the President's budget request for construction of the second project of the cyber instructional facility at Fort Gordon. prgtoken As we all know, cyber is the present and future of modern warfare. In Georgia 12, the district I have the honor of representing, we are at the forefront of advanced cyber innovation. In the changing electronic world in which we live, U.S. Army Cyber Command is an increasingly significant part of our national security efforts. prgtoken U.S. Army Cyber Command is currently transitioning to Ford Gordon, and this transition requires construction of state-of-the-art facilities that can accommodate the rapid change of pace required in cyberspace. prgtoken I thank Congressman Hice for joining me in introducing this amendment, and I urge the passage of this en bloc package.
TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO SERVE
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , today, I rise to advocate for the brave men and women who defend our country. prgtoken Recently, I visited Normandy, France, for the 75th anniversary of D- day. While overseas, I met numerous men and women who were critical in the defeat of fascism during World War II, and they all gave me a very simple and direct message: Go home and take care of those who have served our Nation proudly. prgtoken The conversations that I had with the heroes from Normandy have inspired me this week to cosponsor numerous legislative events. These will positively affect our veterans. prgtoken Congress needs to pass the Agricultural Apprenticeship Act, to allow veterans to receive the training that they need to enhance their employment opportunities. prgtoken We need to pass the Get Veterans a Doctor Now Act, which allows the VA to hire top talent so that our veterans can get the best quality of healthcare. prgtoken And we need to pass the Veterans Right to Expediency Act, so that the veterans who have sustained injuries in the field of battle cannot be boxed out of filing disability claims. prgtoken Madam , it is time that we take up these measures. Our veterans have given everything for us.
HONORING THE LIFE OF ATTORNEY JERRY BRADY
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of Peoria County State's Attorney Jerry Brady, who was laid to rest this week. Jerry Brady was an admired public servant in the Peoria legal community and beloved by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. prgtoken Jerry grew up in Peoria, attending Spalding Institute High School and graduating from Bradley University and Saint Louis University law school. prgtoken In 1981, he became an assistant state's attorney in Peoria County and went on to run a successful law practice for nearly 30 years, where he served until his unfortunate passing. prgtoken Inside the courtroom, Jerry was known as one of the most principled and hardest working legal minds in all of central Illinois. Outside of the courtroom, he was known as a benefactor, friend, and role model throughout the community. prgtoken Jerry was instrumental in numerous fundraising efforts to support the Peoria community, including the recent completion of our veterans memorial in downtown Peoria. prgtoken Jerry was a selfless public servant who left a profound impact on our community, and Peoria, Illinois, misses him and will miss him in the future. prgtoken As our community mourns his loss, my thoughts and prayers are with his wonderful wife, Sue, and their three children. He will be missed.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of an important issue: preserving veterans' choices over their prosthetic services. prgtoken While I am prepared to withdraw this amendment--we have had discussions about that--I would hope that I can continue to work with the chairwoman as we move to conference on improving the underlaying report language. prgtoken Last year, the VA released a draft proposed rule which would have significantly curtailed veterans' choices in how they receive their prosthetic or orthotic care. prgtoken While we appreciate the Secretary's efforts to address the concerns of the veterans, I remain concerned that the proposal does not go far enough to protect veterans' ability to select high-quality, convenient, and efficient services from community-based providers of their choice. prgtoken This proposal would have upended more than 60 years of successful partnership between the VA and local prosthetists who contract with the VA and have long-term relationships with their patients. This long-term relationship is critical for the unique, patient-centered care needs of prosthetics services. prgtoken I would also like to thank my colleague, Representative Rutherford, for working on this issue with me. prgtoken Madam Chair, from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) to at least assure me that we can continue to work on this issue together.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my two amendments that were made part of the en bloc that we are debating. prgtoken My first amendment reflects congressional intent for the Army to prioritize necessary funding for its combat development centers. These centers throughout the United States play a critical role in ensuring a capable and ready ground force. prgtoken Take, for example, Fort Polk, which is home to the Joint Readiness Training Center, JRTC, located in Louisiana's Fourth Congressional District near my home. Fort Polk JRTC provides invaluable training to prepare for the unique situations and challenges a unit may face while being deployed. prgtoken As we continue to grow our ground forces, investing in the necessary infrastructure to replace the existing facilities at Fort Polk, such as the Joint Operations Center, we remember, is paramount. This much- needed upgrade would allow our troops better training and ensure full readiness for when our men and women in uniform are called upon to defend freedom around the world. prgtoken My second amendment ensures congressional intent that the Air Force continues to maintain its revised plan for construction and upgrades to the Weapons Generation Facility enterprise. Ensuring these critical upgrades to those facilities is critical to the national security interests of the U.S especially given the recent aggressive actions from our adversary. Deterrence is a requisite to maintaining peace, and if Congress is going to be serious about preserving our nuclear infrastructure, these upgrades must be prioritized. prgtoken My home State of Louisiana has invested millions of dollars to pave the way for the Weapons Generation Facility at Barksdale Air Force Base, home to Global Strike Command. I urge the Air Force to continue to work with Congress and the Louisiana delegation to support the wide array of strategic deterrence that we do there at Global Strike. prgtoken Madam Chair, in closing, I am proud to represent both these vital military installations here in Congress. Both are critical to our national security interests in the United States, and I appreciate the Appropriations Committee for giving it due attention. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge support of both amendments.
CELEBRATING THE CAREER OF MARTIN TELLER AT THE FINGER LAKES AREA COUNSELING AND RECOVERY AGENCY
Tom Reed (Republican, NY) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the service of Martin Teller to the Finger Lakes Area Counseling and Recovery Agency and congratulate him on his retirement. prgtoken For the last thirty-three years, Marty Teller has served as the Executive Director of Finger Lakes Area Counseling and Recovery Agency (FLACRA). His dedicated service and wealth of experience has ensured the highest of quality service, that FLACRA is known for, to people struggling with substance abuse. FLACRA offers a unique Continuum of Care for their clients, providing services such as addictions crisis counseling, outpatient services, community residences, supportive living, housing, and care management. prgtoken In addition to his thirty-three years as the Executive Director of FLACRA, Marty had previously worked for fifteen years in chemical dependency agency management. His extensive experience in aiding those struggling with substance abuse has made him a leader on the issue in the community and statewide. Matty serves on the Boards of the New York Association of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Providers, Common Ground Health, and the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System. He has also served in leadership roles in the Finger Lakes Housing Consortium, the Region II Consortium of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, and Recovery Net. prgtoken As Matty moves forward with the next chapter of his life, we applaud his tireless efforts to help those struggling with substance abuse in our communities and we wish him all the best in his retirement. prgtoken Given the above, I ask that this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations and join me to celebrate Marty Teller and his extraordinary career.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam Chairwoman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 3055, which is included in the en bloc amendment. prgtoken The intent behind my amendment is straightforward. It is to encourage the VA to complete construction of medical clinics that the Congress authorized 10 years ago in public law. Unfortunately, veterans in my district have now patiently waited for the new community-based outpatient clinic in Bakersfield to be built for more than a decade. prgtoken Of the 15 new clinics authorized in 2009, a decade ago, the Bakersfield clinic is the only facility that has not been built or opened. That means that thousands of veterans in California's 23rd Congressional District must continue to depend on a very outdated clinic. This is unacceptable. prgtoken In 2015, our constituents and I were informed that a new VA clinic was set to be built, only for that to be derailed by the now-failed California high-speed rail project, condemning the property the new clinic was supposed to be built on. prgtoken This forced the VA to start all over again, further delaying building our new clinic. prgtoken Now, last October there was this great excitement in the community. I welcomed it. It was the long-awaited news that the VA announced that it finally awarded the contract for a new 30,000-square-foot medical clinic in Bakersfield on Knudsen Drive. This new clinic would be state of the art, and it would be able to care for the rise in female veterans and the homeless veterans out there as well. It was the modernization that we have all been yearning for. prgtoken Unfortunately, something happened. The new clinic has been subject to several, what I would call, dilatory actions. Most of them have been resolved or dismissed, which only furthers the delay. prgtoken Now, you can protest. Here is a dirty little secret we should all learn: You can have the lease on an outdated clinic, bid for the new one and lose it, but then you can protest. prgtoken Do you get punished for protesting? No. prgtoken Do you know what happens? Our government rewards you. Because you go beyond the lease, they now pay the outdated clinic more money than they paid before, and, lo and behold, they are the ones protesting because they didn't win the contract. prgtoken That is unacceptable. Our veterans have fought too hard to wait too long to get this job done. So the VA must move forward and be consistent with the application of law and regulation. prgtoken Let's build this clinic on Knudsen Drive that won the award, and let's treat our veterans to a new, modern facility that works for those who really are in need of care, from mental health to a new growth in women veterans, to, even, veterans who are homeless. Let's show that we will never forget the acts that they did for us and how they worked so hard for all of us.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Mike Bost (Republican, IL) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of this en bloc package. prgtoken My amendment highlights the positive work done by public universities and law schools offering pro bono legal services for our Nation's veterans. prgtoken As the ranking member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, I understand that putting together a proper application for disability benefits can be difficult at times. prgtoken In my district, Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Law offers assistance to veterans when appealing disability claims. The program has helped thousands of these heroes and increases the chances for the veterans receiving positive responses in a timely manner. prgtoken I thank the chair and ranking member for including this in the en bloc package, and I urge its support.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Russ Fulcher (Republican, ID) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Mr. Chair, this amendment will invest $5 million into those much-needed beds at long-term care VA facilities. It is offset by a reduction for that same amount from the VA IT systems account budget. prgtoken Most of Idaho's veterans served in Vietnam, and they are between 65 and 74 years old. While people are living longer today, they also need more care. And in this case, there are mental healthcare concerns. prgtoken Passage of this amendment helps in that regard, giving more bed space to veterans in need of long-term healthcare. These funds will also provide options to help Idaho's heroes to remain closer to their communities. Many studies have found that people tend to respond better to treatment when they can be closer to their families. prgtoken Please note that this does not add to our growing deficit. prgtoken from Maine, Congressman Jared Golden, for working with me on this bipartisan amendment and for his service to our country in the United States Marine Corps. prgtoken Improving care for our veterans should always be an issue that we can agree on. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steve Scalise (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. I thank the gentleman for that commitment because I know that our teams will be talking. The leadership teams will be talking and working, hopefully, completely together in a way where, when we look at the Senate bill, there are components of the Senate bill that I would prefer not be in there, and I know there are things that the White House would rather not have in that bill, but there is give-and- take. prgtoken There has been give-and-take, and it has gotten to a point where they at least recognize that, with the things that they might not want, there are no poison pills in it. At least it gives them the tools they need so that the agency can take care of those 13,700-plus kids who are here. prgtoken We can talk all day about why a mother and father would send their 12-year-old daughter on a journey from another country into America, but it is happening. When they come here, they need to be properly taken care of, and that money is literally about to run out in days.
ALZHEIMER'S AND BRAIN AWARENESS MONTH
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. prgtoken Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and it has reached crisis proportions. There is no effective treatment and no means of prevention and no method for slowing the progression of this disease. Sadly, one in three seniors will die of the disease of Alzheimer's. prgtoken Today, on the longest day of the year, the Alzheimer's Association is raising awareness to outshine the darkness of Alzheimer's disease. prgtoken Approximately 50 million people, worldwide, are living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. This not only has a devastating impact on those who are diagnosed with the disease, but also their caregivers and their loved ones. prgtoken More than 15 million Americans provide unpaid care to families and friends living with Alzheimer's and other dementias. Compared with caregivers for people without dementia, twice as many caregivers for people with dementia indicate substantial emotional, financial, and physical stress. prgtoken Madam , the time to act is now. Let's join the fight. Let's take the pledge to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and to never stop searching for a cure.
HONORING DOROTHY ``MOM'' BROWN FOR HER DEDICATION TO THE PHI KAPPA PSI HOUSE
James R. Baird (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-6-21

today I rise to honor Dorothy ``Mom'' Brown for her dedication to the Phi Kappa Psi house at DePauw University. Few individuals have had an impact on Phi Kappa Psi as great as Dorothy, and we thank her for her selflessness. prgtoken Prior to her time with Phi Kappa Psi, Dorothy graduated from Indiana University, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Science in Administration and Supervision, and began a teaching career in Gary, Indiana. After serving as principal in Warren Township Schools in Indianapolis in the 1980's, Dorothy returned to her home in Greencastle in 1986 to teach in the education department at DePauw University. prgtoken In 1993, Dorothy took on a new role as Housemother of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. She quickly became an ``anchor'' of Phi Kappa Psi and made it a memorable experience for generations of young men over the next 26 years. prgtoken She was honored in 2009 for her contributions to DePauw by the city of Greencastle as the DePauw Cultural Resource center was renamed in her honor. Whether during her time as an elementary school teacher or fraternity Housemother, she exemplified leadership and compassion. I am proud to call her a fellow Hoosier. prgtoken On behalf of the 4th District of Indiana, I thank her for her dedication to her community, and I wish her the very best in retirement.
DELISTING THE GRAY WOLF
Pete Stauber (Republican, MN) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise today ahead of a public hearing set to be held in my congressional district by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the proposed delisting of the gray wolf. The gray wolf has recovered. prgtoken In fact, back in 2013, the administration delisted the gray wolf for precisely the same reason we are today: because of science. Yet the gray wolf remains listed, and without a State-developed management plan in place, the population in northeastern Minnesota is growing at an uncontrollable rate. prgtoken Within the Duluth city limits, which is the largest city in Minnesota's Eighth District, a Labrador retriever was recently attacked by wolves while its owner was just a few feet away. Attacks on cattle owned by farmers trying to make ends meet continue to be all too common. prgtoken Madam , my State's Department of Natural Resources will effectively manage the species once the Federal Government moves itself out of the way. prgtoken I am incredibly grateful to Interior Secretary Bernhardt and the Fish and Wildlife Service for choosing to hold this forum in the heart of gray wolf country. No one knows this issue better than those living in northeast Minnesota.
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT
Jim Hagedorn (Republican, MN) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , today I rise to encourage the of the House to give expeditious consideration of the United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement. There is progress on this agreement being made. The country of Mexico, their senate just ratified it. Canada is looking to move very quickly, and it is critically important that we do the same. prgtoken Along those lines, 1,000 groups in this country: manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and processing groups have written us and said: We need to get this deal done now. prgtoken In Minnesota, it is not just agriculture. It is machinery. It is manufacturing. It is medicine, and people like my friends at the Farm Bureau, AgriGrowth, poultry, dairy, pork; you name it, everybody wants it done. prgtoken If we can get this Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement with the United States done, we are going to build momentum for our deals with China, Japan, South Korea, Colombia, and the European Union. prgtoken We should be dropping down the barriers, expanding our trade, creating economic growth, creating high-wage jobs, and helping the American people and our consumers.