mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF DEBBIE BONE-HARRIS
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2019-11-13

I rise today to celebrate Debbie Bone- as she begins her retirement from the Franklin Public Utility District. prgtoken Deb began working for Franklin PUD in 2003 and has held many roles throughout the organization. She has been a stalwart advocate for hydropower in the Northwest. She has spent countless hours educating our community about the value of the Columbia and the Snake River dams, and she has worked with both State and Federal legislators to advocate for their protection. prgtoken Deb is a leader, not only with the Franklin PUD, but in the greater community as well. She has served on numerous boards and held leadership roles with community organizations, including Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Visit Tri-Cities, Tri-Cities Legislative Council, Washington Public Utility District, Northwest Public Power Association, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. prgtoken As Deb begins her well-earned retirement, our community wishes her the best as she enjoys spending more time with her grandchildren, going on hotrod adventures with her husband, and attending those rowdy sewing conventions. prgtoken I thank Deb for her advocacy and congratulate her.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Mac Thornberry (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-11-13

. Madam , on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, I was unable to be in Washington and missed roll call votes. On Roll Call No. 610 on the passage of H.R. 4162, the ``GI Planning Bill Act of 2019,'' had I been present, I would have voted Aye. On Roll Call No. 611 on the passage of H.R. 3224, ``To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for increased access to Department of Veterans Affairs medical care for women veterans,'' had I been present, I would have voted Aye.
VERIFICATION ALIGNMENT AND SERVICE-DISABLED BUSINESS ADJUSTMENT ACT
Jenniffer González-Colón (Republican, PR) \u2014 2019-11-13

today I rise in full support of H.R. 1615, known as the VA-SBA Act of 2019, introduced by my dear friend, General Kelly from Mississippi. prgtoken Why this bill is important for me: in Puerto Rico, we do have more than 100,000 veterans registered by the VA system. prgtoken Our men and women in uniform are an invaluable asset during their time of service and upon separating from the Armed Forces as well. One of the main challenges upon retiring and adjusting to life as a civilian is actually securing employment. prgtoken Many decide to open and operate their own business, employing the community and generating robust gains for our economy. According to the Small Business Administration, close to 2.5 million businesses in the United States are minority-owned by veterans, with a total annual revenue of over $1 trillion--and Puerto Rico is not a part of these statistics. prgtoken Yet, there are additional issues to consider, and that is the reason this bill is presented today. Both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Small Business Administration are involved in the process of certifying American service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. prgtoken These businesses have the option to self-certify with the SBA for contracting purposes with the Federal Government, but, additionally, the Veterans Affairs Administration has its own process for certifying these same businesses through a more rigorous evaluation for Federal contracts within the VA. prgtoken This is another hardship for many of those veterans. Having two paths for what is essentially the same outcome can be confusing for service- disabled veteran business owners and creates an opportunity for fraud, waste, and abuse. prgtoken This bill will help rectify this problem by streamlining the process and making clear certification requirements for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses and shifting this responsibility to the Small Business Administration, which has the technical expertise to administer small business programs and properly work with these cases. prgtoken By releasing the VA from this task, we help eliminate inconsistencies in the certification process and previous loopholes that impact Federal contracting and also allow the VA to focus on their main mission. We also help focus the VA's attention to its core mission of administering the healthcare services for our veterans. prgtoken , I am a proud original cosponsor of this bill, and I think we should all vote for it.
IMPEACHMENT
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2019-11-13

on a different topic, I come to the floor today to discuss the ' partisan campaign against President . prgtoken The have been obsessed with impeaching him since day one of his Presidency, and I absolutely mean day one. As the President was taking the oath of office, sworn in to the Presidency, the Washington Post ran this headline: ``The campaign to impeach President has begun.'' It was posted, actually, at 12:18, the day he took the oath of office. The minute he took the oath of office, that headline was posted. prgtoken So 3 years have passed, and impeachment is still taking up all the ' time, all their efforts, and all their energy. They are fixated on it, and they are obsessed with it. As a doctor, in my opinion, the have a bad case of impeachment fever, and it seems that there is no cure for them. prgtoken We all know that deeply dislike this President. They have from the moment he was elected in November 2016. Let me ask you: Does that mean they get to overturn the last election? That is what they are trying to do, not to mention interfere with the upcoming election. That is really what it is--a bitterly partisan process. prgtoken Remember, it is being controlled by one political party. This is totally partisan, and up to now, at least it has been conducted, prior to today, in total secret, in the cellar, behind closed doors, and in the shadows. That is the way they have done it. It is not a fair process--no transparency and no accountability. prgtoken I think President has a right to be treated fairly, yet his rights have been completely ignored. The process, in my opinion, is rigged against the President. The outcome is predetermined and fixed. The ic House wins; the American public loses. prgtoken are so obsessed, they can't work. The people elected them to do a job, to work for them, and they are nowhere to be found. The , for example, will not pass defense funding, funding our military, protecting our borders, protecting our Nation, and they will not approve trade deals or lower drug costs. They will not even help fix our aging roads and bridges. prgtoken Well, that is all bad news for the American people. All of this is tied up in the impeachment obsession that is grinding the in the House to a halt. The good news is, s are highly resistant to this fever, and so are most Americans. prgtoken We are not going to join the ' impeachment campaign. s prefer to work on the issues we were elected to address-- jobs, the economy, national security--and we are going to continue to work for the people who elected us. prgtoken .
IN HONOR OF ROGER PENSKE
Mike Kelly (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-11-13

. Madam , I rise to honor a man who has achieved greatness in motorsports, business, and in his community. On October 24th, Roger Penske was awarded the highest honor a civilian can receive, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This award is not given lightly. According to the White House, to receive such an honor one must either contribute ``to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or significant public or private endeavors.'' It is fair to say, that Mr. Penske has done much in his life to grow his community into a better place and his business into the global industry leader it is today. prgtoken Mr. Penske has had significant success in both auto racing and business for more than 50 years. After forming his own auto racing team in 1965, Team Penske has won over 500 races and 36 national championships. The team's most recent wins include the 2018 NASCAR championship and 2019 Indianapolis 500, which marks a record breaking 18 Indianapolis 500 victories for a team owner. prgtoken Since starting his own car dealership in 1969, Penske Corporation has expanded into a company that generates $32 billion in revenues and employs approximately 64,000 people. However, Mr. Penske is not only a man with a mind for business, he is also a man with a generous heart. In 2005 he was named Michiganian of the Year after vowing to spend $35 million, in order to revive and restore neighborhoods in Detroit. Just as Penske Corporation is an exceptional example of a great American business, so also is Roger Penske an outstanding example of an American citizen. Our country is fortunate to have Roger Penske as a role model for generations to come. I offer Mr. Penske my sincere congratulations on this prestigious honor.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-11-13

today I join my fellow Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittee chairs in expressing my serious concerns with the possibility that congress might not pass a National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, for fiscal year 2020. prgtoken For more than five decades, the NDAA has been signed into law with bipartisan support. We had our differences, but if we fail to pass the NDAA this year, what kind of message does that send to the men and women who, in many cases, are risking their lives for our national security? Further, they will receive this message at a time of heightened strategic competition with China and Russia and a continued need to support our allies and partners. Meanwhile, we must continue prgtoken to rebuild the readiness of our Armed Forces and take care of our troops and their families. prgtoken With regard to rebuilding our readiness, I remember the recent and significant dip in the readiness of our B-1B bomber fleet at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. While the Air Force has reversed that trend, it remains an example of the wear and tear on our forces after 18 years of war. Now is not the time to go backward by failing, for the first time in 58 years, to pass a National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken NDAA is must-pass legislation, as it has been every year for over half a century. That is why Chairman Inhofe introduced his ``skinny'' NDAA. The NDAA is typically bipartisan, and it should stay that way. I am hopeful we will find a final agreement. prgtoken This is about more than the NDAA. It is also about Defense appropriations. In that regard, I will not vote for another continuing resolution with its distinctive impact on our national security. prgtoken As chairman of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am particularly concerned about what failure to enact NDAA 2020 would mean for our cybersecurity. Some vital cybersecurity measures in the NDAA passed by the Senate include the following: critical funding for United Stated Cyber Command, CYBERCOM, infrastructure development. In a sense, CYBERCOM is at war every day, operating in our enemies' backyards to negate or at least reduce their ability to attack the United States. It is not a coincidence that there was no successful interference in our 2018 mid-term elections. We can thank the men and women of CYBERCOM for that. Now is not the time to deny them what they need to boost their capabilities. Our adversaries and enemies will surely boost theirs; development of a consistent, comprehensive framework to enhance the cybersecurity of the U.S. defense industrial base after disastrous theft of critical defense information relating to development of an important new weapon system. I am concerned there may be other ongoing such instances of which we are not even aware; a consortium of universities, to include Dakota State University in Madison, SD, to advise and assist the Secretary of D
ALABAMA A&M 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Mo Brooks (Republican, AL) \u2014 2019-11-13

I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. prgtoken The school was originally established not long after the Civil War, in 1873, by the legislature of the State of Alabama. Through the tireless efforts of the first principal and president, William Hooper Council, the Huntsville Normal School opened on May 1, 1875, with an appropriation of $1,000 per year. It had 61 students and two instructors. prgtoken In 1885, because of its success with industrial education, the Alabama Legislature changed its name to the State Normal and Industrial School in Huntsville. prgtoken In 1891, the name was again changed to the State Agricultural and Industrial Institute for Negroes, and a new location was provided at Normal, Alabama. prgtoken In 1969, the school became a fully accredited member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and its name was changed to Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, the name that it has today. prgtoken In the 50 years since its university designation and establishment of the foundation, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University has grown to encompass widely respected programs in engineering, computer science, business, food sciences, agricultural and animal sciences, and education, as well as Ph.D. programs in plant and soil science, food science, physics, and reading. prgtoken Today, Alabama A&M University is comprised of over 70 buildings and more than 1,000 acres, is home to more than 6,000 students, is a designated Gold Military Friendly institution, and serves as a regional State, national, and international resource, while maintaining its mission of educating the underserved and uplifting the people of Alabama, the Nation, and the world through its excellence in education. prgtoken On a more personal note, my mother, Betty Brooks, is a proud graduate of Alabama A&M University, having received her master's degree there. I thank Alabama A&M for helping her to successfully serve for a quarter of a century as a Lee High School government and economics teacher. prgtoken In sum, I am, and all of the State of Alabama is, proud of Alabama A&M University's accomplishments and wish Alabama A&M a happy 50th anniversary as a fully accredited university. prgtoken Go Bulldogs. prgtoken May their future success in helping prepare, train, and educate our youth be as great and productive as their past.
Nomination of Steven J. Menashi (Executive Calendar)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-11-13

I am here to speak on the confirmation of Steven Menashi to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. We have grown accustomed to the violations of norms around here, kind of a dumbing down of the institution. So by all of those standards, I would ordinarily be opposing Mr. Menashi. prgtoken We have disposed of the blue slip convention for Circuit Court nominees. I just warn my colleagues, again, that there is a price to be paid for that. The blue slip for Circuit Court nominees is the thing that connects a Circuit Court nominee to a particular State so that an Arkansas judge on the Circuit Court of Appeals or the Rhode Island judge on our Circuit Court of Appeals or the Montana judge on their Circuit Court of Appeals only is the Arkansas judge or the Rhode Island judge or the Montana judge because we honor that blue slip. prgtoken In another Presidency, when the shoe is on the other foot, I don't want to hear any of my colleagues who have thrown this Circuit Court blue slip out complain when somebody who is not even from their State gets appointed to the so-called State seat on the Circuit Court. prgtoken In addition, we have dealt with a lot of unqualified candidates. I think this administration has set the record for ABA-designated unqualified candidates. This guy has never tried a case, never taken a deposition. He effectively has not practiced law. When he has tried to practice law, it has been a disaster. He has been the counsel for the Department of Education and managed to have various programs that he advised on all thrown out in court and his Secretary held in contempt-- so not a guy who, when you get a mere legal decision, comes up with a real winning record. prgtoken Moreover, he refused, extremely arrogantly, to answer really basic questions, even to the point of frustrating members of the committee when he was a witness before us, and has refused to answer related questions for the record as well. prgtoken So, for all of those reasons, this is a pretty undesirable candidate for the Federal bench, but it gets way, way worse. If you look at what Mr. Menashi has said over the years, it is quite an astonishing window into his mind. With respect to affirmative action, he has compared universities--I am quoting him here--he has compared universities cataloging students according to race on college applications prgtoken and official documents, which you obviously do as part of any affirmative action program, he has compared that to the Nuremberg laws. prgtoken If you look at the issue of sexual violence, he has made fun of Take Back the Night marches and described women who are active and concerned about sexual violence as--his words here--``campus gynocentrics''-- maybe he pronounced it gynocentrics, I do not know--campus gynocentrics. When you are talking about sexual violence, that is not just a normal word to use. When you are talking about affirma
RECOGNIZING McMILLAN ELEMENTARY AS AN AWARDEE OF THE NATIONAL BLUE- RIBBON
Ben McAdams (Democrat, UT) \u2014 2019-11-13

. Madam , parents, teachers and students in the Murray City School District are celebrating the 2019 National Blue- Ribbon Schools award to McMillan Elementary School. This award brings public attention to the best schools in America. Fittingly, it was the brainchild of a former Utah Commissioner of Higher Education--Terrel H. Bell--who served as Education Secretary under President Ronald Reagan. Dr. Bell believed that through the real action of teaching and learning, families and educators could work together to articulate a vision of excellence. He believed that by holding everyone to high standards, local schools could become the best at preparing their students for academic success. prgtoken The 498 students of McMillan Elementary, their teachers, Principal Joy Sanford, and parents, have risen to the challenge. The school is named for a family who formerly owned the property around the school. It is the only school in the Murray School District to be named after a local family. Education is vitally important to this community. Home to the Murray District Gifted and Talented Program, McMillan Elementary held its first Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Night, featuring local business professionals who spoke about rewarding careers in those fields. prgtoken Public schools nominated for the National Blue-Ribbon Schools award must be top-performers in the state on English and math assessments and must meet their state's performance targets such as attendance and graduation rates for all student groups. The National Blue-Ribbon School award acknowledges and validates the hard work of students, educators, families and communities. McMillan Elementary now serves as a model of effective school practices. Others will look to them for how to achieve academic success. Dr. Bell would be very proud. Principal Sanford should be very proud. Everyone associated with education in Utah salutes McMillan Elementary School's success and congratulates them on receiving this prestigious award.
COMMENDING MEMBERS OF NIAGARA FALLS FIRE DEPARTMENT AND NEW YORK STATE PARK POLICE
Brian Higgins (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-11-13

I rise today to recognize our everyday heroes--police and fire personnel--who sign up to rush into dangerous situations most people would run from. prgtoken Today I want to take this opportunity to commend the outstanding members of the Niagara Falls Fire Department and the New York State Park Police. prgtoken Last week, a man was discovered in the fierce and frigid rapids of the Niagara River. Without hesitation, the Niagara Falls firefighters and New York State Park Police took quick action, entering the water just yards away from the brink of Niagara Falls and, under the most dangerous of circumstances, completed a successful rescue. prgtoken We are grateful for the brave and selfless service of these first responders and others across my community and this Nation who risk their own safety and save the lives of others.
Nomination of Steven J. Menashi (Executive Session)
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-11-13

I rise today in opposition to the nomination of Steven Menashi to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. prgtoken From 2017 to 2018, Mr. Menashi served as the Acting General Counsel of the Department of Education under Secretary Betsy DeVos. Mr. Menashi has stated that, in this role, he was ``responsible for providing legal advice related to all aspects of the Department's operations, including litigation, rulemaking, regulation, and enforcement.'' prgtoken Before Mr. Menashi joined the Department of Education, the Department had found that thousands of students had been defrauded by for-profit colleges. The for-profit schools had lied to students about job prospects, graduation rates, and steered them into mountains of debt. The Department had concluded that these students were entitled to relief from their student loan debt. prgtoken But when Mr. Menashi arrived at the Department, he took a different view. He wrote a memo, which has since been obtained by the New York Times, arguing against full debt relief for the students. prgtoken Many of these students found themselves unable to work in the fields that they had pursued at the for-profit colleges because the colleges had either suddenly closed or the degrees had proven to be worthless. Nonetheless, Mr. Menashi's idea, which the Department adopted, was to use the private Social Security earnings data of the defrauded students as a basis for limiting their relief. Even if you put aside the unfairness of Mr. Menashi's plan, there was another problem: It was illegal. prgtoken Six months after Mr. Menashi's plan was implemented, and while Mr. Menashi was still at the Department, a prgtoken Federal court ruled that using students' private Social Security data violated the Federal Privacy Act. The court ordered the Department to stop using the students' private information and to stop collecting on their student loans. prgtoken Even after this Federal court ruling, the Department failed to comply. The Department continued to illegally collect on the student loans of at least 16,000 defrauded students. The Department garnished wages, seized tax refunds, and wiped out some students' credit ratings. prgtoken Less than 3 weeks ago, a Federal court held Secretary Betsy DeVos in contempt of court and fined the Department $100,000. The Federal magistrate judge who issued the contempt order said, ``[T]here have to be some consequences for the violation of my order 16,000 times.'' prgtoken Mr. Menashi should not be rewarded for providing such bad legal advice with a lifetime appointment to the Federal bench. prgtoken While at the Department, Mr. Menashi also helped push new rules on campus sexual assault that the administration's own analysis concluded would dramatically reduce the number of sexual assault investigations. Under these new rules, a student who is the survivor of sexual assault would be subject to cross-examination by their attac