mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SREBRENICA
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-7-22

there is an area in Bosnia that goes by the name of Srebrenica. This month is the 25th anniversary of a massacre that took place there. It happens to be the worst genocide on European soil since the Holocaust. prgtoken Twenty-five years ago, 8,000 Bosnians were murdered out of ethnic and religious hatred. Many Bosnians, who witnessed this horrific atrocity, became refugees and found a home in my State of Iowa. We must remember for those Bosnians, Iowans, and for all Bosnians who suffer as they continue to deal with unimaginable memories. It is also important for the rest of us to make a point of remembering what has happened so we can prevent it from happening again. prgtoken . prgtoken .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-7-22

the protection for the children is now found in the proposal, in the amendment at the desk--the one that was just objected to by my friend and colleague, the Senator from Illinois. prgtoken I would ask my colleague rhetorically or directly, as he may choose: If, in fact, he is unwilling and remains unwilling to negotiate on any bill addressing this problem without increasing the total number of employment-based green cards, why in the world did he waste months of my time? Why did he lead me to believe, while in his office, that he was open to such an agreement that was, in fact, the premise upon which we proceeded? We spent months on that, and I worked in good faith. prgtoken As I mentioned yesterday, it was against my better judgment that I agreed to announce with the Senator on the Senate floor that we had reached an agreement because I knew that we had to work out a few kinks, but I proceeded based solely on the feasibility and our ability to implement that bill. That was the only change that we made. prgtoken Now, if the Senator wants to make some adjustment to that, bring it forward. I would love to consider it. Yet what he is now telling me is that the premise upon which we proceeded on those negotiations and then spent prgtoken weeks and months working on was false in that the whole premise that we could reach some sort of compromise--an actual compromise--that wouldn't increase the number of total green cards available was illusory. I find that disappointing.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2020-7-22

I join my colleagues today in calling on this body to include the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2020 in the next coronavirus relief bill so that we can finally address the high cost of prescription drugs. prgtoken The troubles caused by skyrocketing drug prices are a never-ending source of worry and hardship for Mississippians and people across this entire country. I hear about this issue from constituents more than just about any other issue when I go home. I hear this all the time. I go to church with people who have to decide whether they are going to buy their drugs or buy food. That is a reality we live with. prgtoken Let me highlight a few stories shared with me by some of my constituents prgtoken Emily Quinn lives in Fulton, MS. Her husband, Brian, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 2 and continues to rely on insulin daily. Her son Dylan, who is now 16, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 6. The Quinn family pays more than $2,700 each month for just Brian's and Dylan's insulin, not including other diabetic equipment and supplies that they have to have. prgtoken It is shocking that more than a century--a century, not a decade; a century, 100 years--after insulin was discovered, insulin prices continue to rise by staggering amounts, nearly 300 percent over the last 10 years. prgtoken Scott Crawford of Jackson, MS, is a volunteer advocate for multiple sclerosis. Scott was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in 2002. Only one drug, named OCREVUS, can help slow the advancement of this disabling disease. That drug costs a staggering $65,000 a year--more than most Mississippians make. Even with good insurance coverage, Scott cannot afford the $15,000 copay for OCREVUS, so he just goes without. prgtoken MS drugs have seen some of the most shocking price increases of all, with list prices rising nearly 450 percent over the last 10 years. prgtoken Two young neurologists in Mississippi told me about their Medicare patients who quickly move into the catastrophic phase of Medicare Part D early each year. Even though these patients face only a 5-percent out-of-pocket cost for their drugs in this phase, that small percentage can amount to thousands of dollars for the expensive neurology drugs these patients depend on. Because there is currently no Medicare Part D out-of-pocket cap, these patients will get no relief from high drug prices later in the year when they still have to have them. prgtoken These are just a few of the many stories that I have received from Mississippians. I have one of my own as well. prgtoken My mother, a Medicare beneficiary living in Monticello, MS--Hyde, Lorraine--faced $454.50--right there--in out-of-pocket costs for her prescription eye drops earlier this year. A tiny bottle of eye drops cost $454.50. The drug, RESTASIS, has been on the market well over a decade--more than enough time for Allergan, the pharmaceutical company that develop
MEMORIALIZING THE HONORABLE JOHN LEWIS
Jody B. Hice (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-7-22

I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker), my good friend, for yielding to me. prgtoken There is no question that all of us who have served with John Lewis mourn the passing of this towering figure who devoted his life to fighting for freedom and equality. prgtoken An interesting perspective of his life, as a son of Alabama sharecroppers, John Lewis demonstrated that, in America, a single individual, even one prgtoken coming from the most humble of backgrounds, can have an enormous impact in this country. prgtoken We all know that he rose to be a powerful leader in the civil rights movement; worked very closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and so many other great heroes who sacrificed their lives to ensure that Americans of all races live in liberty in this country. But he did so peacefully. prgtoken He once wrote this, and this has a great, powerful meaning. He said: ``Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won.'' prgtoken John Lewis knew that it was necessary to fight the sins of this country; but he understood also to fight those in a nonviolent way. prgtoken I just have the deepest respect for John Lewis, and I am honored to have considered him a dear friend. prgtoken I just want to thank all my colleagues this evening for joining in this time to honor such a great man and an icon, obviously, particularly in the civil rights movement. prgtoken My wife, Dee Dee, and I continue to pray for the Lewis family. Again, I thank all my colleagues for joining tonight.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-7-22

. I want to recognize my colleagues from Arizona, Ohio, Texas, and Iowa for their commitment to holding Communist China accountable and supporting Americans. prgtoken I rise today to discuss the threat of Communist China--a threat that poses a huge risk to the national security of the United States, our allies, and the stability of world markets. prgtoken Communist China is simply stealing American jobs and technology and spying on our citizens. prgtoken General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi is a dictator and a human rights violator who is denying basic rights to the people of Hong Kong, cracking down on dissidents, threatening Taiwan, and militarizing the South China Sea. prgtoken Uighur prisoners in Communist China are being rounded up, blindfolded, shaved, and loaded onto trains to be taken to concentration camps simply because of their religion. You can't believe this is happening today in this world. prgtoken Communist China's deceptions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic should be the last straw for every American. It doesn't matter to Communist China that their lies and misinformation killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Communist China is on a mission to be the dominant world power. Chairman Xi will stop at nothing to grow Communist China's influence. For Communist China and Chairman Xi, this great power conflict is a zero-sum game. In order for China to be stronger, America and all freedom-loving countries around the world must be weaker. We can't allow that to happen. It is time we finally stand up and address the new Cold War occurring between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. prgtoken For too long, Washington politicians have been more concerned with short-term political success than with the long-term threats to our way of life--but not anymore. It is time for action. We can no longer rely on countries like Communist China for our critical supply chain. We need to build up the national stockpile of PPE and our pharmaceutical industry with supplies from American-based producers. We can no longer accept Chinese technology that could be used to spy on us, and we are working to prohibit the Federal Government from purchasing drones from our adversaries. prgtoken We can no longer allow Communist China to steal from us. We have to be aggressive in protecting American research and American innovation, including potentially lifesaving research into a coronavirus vaccine. We should do everything we can to stop buying products ``Made in China'' because, every time we do, we are putting another dollar into the pockets of those stealing our technology, denying their people basic human rights, and propping up dangerous dictators like Maduro in Venezuela. prgtoken We have to hold Communist China accountable and financially liable for its lies that led to the coronavirus. It is responsible for the devastation. We have to stand up and say that it is wrong to allow Beijin
PAYING TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS
Rob Woodall (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-7-22

. Madam , I didn't have the 52-year relationship with Mr. Lewis that Sanford Bishop talked about earlier. I wasn't even born when that relationship started. This very powerful and imposing face beside me, I have very little association with. prgtoken If Mike Collins goes back and looks in the files, I believe he will find that they turned down a young man named Rob Woodall for a job back in 1994. It wasn't that I didn't try to get a good mentorship from John Lewis, I just didn't meet the John Lewis bar at that time. prgtoken But my experience with him has been Biblically based, as so many have. But mine has been: Let the children come to me. Do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. prgtoken If I could arrange it, I would walk down the steps behind John as he was going down the Capitol steps after a vote, because children from all over the country would come running up, ``Mr. Lewis, Mr. Lewis,'' just wanting to say hello. prgtoken Whether it was the steps of the Capitol, the busiest airport in the world at Hartsfield International, or anywhere in between, I never once saw John in too much of a hurry with too much on his mind to take the time to make sure the next generation understood what happened in the last generation and the difference they could make for yet another generation. prgtoken The story has already been told that staff members would say the only thing they want to do on Capitol Hill is meet Mr. Lewis before they leave. prgtoken Time and time again, that is the story of any Georgia Member because, growing up, Mr. Lewis was Mr. Lewis. He always says, ``Call me John,'' but he is always Mr. Lewis and always will be. prgtoken So much of the story that we have heard told about John tonight, Madam , has been about John the fighter. It is so meaningful to me that the other half of the stories we have heard tonight are about John the embracer. prgtoken We have plenty of fighters in this institution, and we have our fair share of embracers in this institution. We don't have as many folks who are every bit as good at embracing as they are at fighting. prgtoken We will miss John's leadership in that respect in the great State of Georgia, Madam , and we will miss him here in this institution. prgtoken Madam , s for coming out tonight, I know, to honor their friend and their colleague, but certainly to honor our great son from Georgia. prgtoken Madam , .
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2020-7-22

I rise to recognize Technical Sergeant Ralph H. Ray, who was a dedicated West Virginia serviceman in our U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. T SGT Ralph H. Ray is being honored by the renaming of a bridge on U.S. Route 60 that spans the Greenbrier River in his native Greenbrier County, WV. prgtoken T SGT Ralph H. Ray graduated from Frankford High School at the age of 17 in 1940. He left his home in West Virginia to complete his enlisted physical for the U.S. Army Corps on January 7, 1943, and subsequently earned the rank of technical sergeant. He earned his airplane mechanic diploma at the Ford Factory in Michigan the spring of 1943 and then completed gunnery school in Laredo, TX. prgtoken During his service, T SGT Ralph H. Ray was assigned to a top-notch flight crew with whom he trained for 3 months. He and his crew traveled to Trinidad, Brazil, Africa, Morocco, and Wales before reaching the Tibenham Base in East England. While serving as a flight engineer during World War II, he and his crew flew 30 successful missions before returning to the United States and spending the last 10 months of his enlistment at the Air Transport Corps in Miami, FL. This dedicated and diverse military service is certainly worthy of admiration. prgtoken After his release from the U.S. Army Air Corps, T SGT Ralph H. Ray worked as an airplane mechanic for Bollinger Airport in Davis Creek, WV, and while there, he earned his civilian pilot's license. T SGT Ralph H. Ray began working as a chemical technician for Westvaco in South Charleston, WV, in 1948. He married his wife Mary Madeline Hudson on April 16, 1948, and established a beautiful and loving family with four daughters: Valerie Ann Lyons, Angela Sue Ray, Verna Ray-Breaux, and Anita Ray-Kirk. prgtoken T SGT Ralph H. Ray retired in 1984 and passed away on August 8, 2019. It is fitting that an enduring monument will be established to commemorate Technical Sergeant Ray and his contributions to our State and our country. As resolved by legislature of West Virginia, the locally known Caldwell Bridge, will henceforth be named the ``U.S. Army Air Corps T SGT Ralph H. Ray Memorial Bridge.'' I hope it provokes thought and appreciation for all of our military heroes and may the bridge be an enduring reminder of the life of dedicated serviceman, husband, father, and lifelong West Virginian.
HONORING MAJOR GENERAL BILL BLAND
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-7-22

I rise today to remember and honor the life of Mr. Kyle Steven Hugunin. prgtoken Friends, family, and members of Kyle's community recently recognized the 1-year anniversary of his passing at the youthful age of 30. He was from Savannah, in Georgia's First Congressional District, and was an outstanding, kind, and loving individual, who was a friend to all. prgtoken Kyle was employed by Industrial Conveyor Belt Services for 10 years and worked hard in all he did. prgtoken While reminiscing on Kyle's abundance of joy that he brought to all family, friends, and others, they recalled that ``he had one of the best smiles ever.'' He represented what it looks like to truly live life to the fullest and not take any day for granted. prgtoken Kyle was a 2007 graduate of Benedictine Military School and loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, golf, and baseball. prgtoken My thoughts and prayers go out to all who knew and loved him during this difficult time. Congratulating Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce
PAYING TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS
Brett Guthrie (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-7-22

I rise today to honor the life of our colleague, Congressman John Lewis. prgtoken Growing up and learning about Mr. Lewis' contributions to our country, I never thought I would one day have the honor of serving alongside him in Congress or the honor of calling him my friend. prgtoken I will always remember the time I think several of us had the opportunity to watch the movie ``Selma'' with him. It was amazing to watch everything I had learned about in history class with someone who had experienced it. After the movie, as we were all kind of feeling empty in our stomachs and just the feeling from seeing the movie, I walked up to Mr. Lewis, and I asked him: What is it like to have your life portrayed upon the screen such as that? prgtoken If you remember, the actor resembled him when he was younger. Mr. Lewis looked at me and he said: All I was thinking is that I had a lot of hair back then. prgtoken That was Mr. Lewis for you, a giant in our history, but unfailingly humble and kind. I am grateful I had the opportunity to know him, and I will miss him dearly.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2020-7-22

COVID-19 is a continuing threat to Americans' physical and financial health, and it is at this intersection that Congress can make a meaningful impact on the family budgets of all Americans by passing sensible legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs through measures such as the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act or, as I like to call it, the ``Making Coronavirus Medications Affordable Act.'' prgtoken There is an urgent need to lower the cost of prescription drugs. The high price of drugs is not a new problem, but it is a problem that is going to be made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. Millions of households have seen their incomes suffer due to economic lockdowns aimed at containing the virus. prgtoken It is encouraging that job numbers continue to outpace expectations, but still, millions of fellow Americans are out of work, which affects their pocketbook and potentially their insurance coverage. Americans do not need the added burden of expensive drugs, particularly right now. prgtoken Congress is providing relief for American families and businesses through the COVID-19 crisis, and we are considering another round of support. I think we should include how do we make drugs more affordable. That way, if folks become ill, they know that they will be able to afford the cure. I believe the best path forward is the ``Making Coronavirus Drugs Affordable Act,'' as I call it, or, as Chairman Grassley calls it, the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act. I like mine better. prgtoken Now, the difficulty in addressing the issue of the price of medications is that a balance must be struck between making sure the medication is affordable but also making sure there is still a profit motive that will incentivize the researchers and pharmaceutical companies to find these cures that we know we need. Just think about it. Without innovation, we would not be able to find a vaccine for coronavirus--a vaccine that will save millions of lives worldwide and allow us to go back to a normal life. prgtoken Let me just praise the pharmaceutical industry. We have seen them respond to this crisis in many helpful ways. Additionally, they recently committed a billion dollars to antimicrobial resistance, which is to say, to find an antibiotic that will work when other antibiotics no longer do. They have invested in large-scale and rapid treatment options, and, again, it is only through innovation that we will beat this virus and end the pandemic. prgtoken But we must remember this: If a patient cannot afford the innovation, the new medicine, it is as if the innovation never occurred. The ``Making Coronavirus Drugs Affordable Act'' strikes the balance between lowering costs for families and incentivizing companies to find those cures. prgtoken Let me show you what this bill does. It caps the patient's out-of- pocket expenses. It lets patients pay over time. It protects patients from price gouging, and it pr
TAXPAYER FIRST ACT OF 2019
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2020-7-22

today is a very swampy day, and I am not talking about the weather. Today, Congress will pass a bill that is, frankly, a demonstration of everything that is wrong with Washington. prgtoken The Great American Outdoors Act is a product of special interests, written not by committees, but in back rooms, full of special interest provisions, and now being forced through this Chamber without the opportunity for us to amend it. prgtoken This is permanent legislation, yet we can't take an extra hour in the House to consider amendments to make this legislation better? Why? Because the special interests that have paid nearly $100 million in lobbying can't be denied another day from their victory. Well, I guess they got what they bought. prgtoken Are we not allowed to amend this bill because House leadership is afraid to offend the Senate? We can decide that the Senate isn't perfect, their product isn't wonderful, that the House can make amendments to make it better. prgtoken Let's be clear. This bill is nearly nothing like the legislation introduced by the supporters in the House. prgtoken The gentleman from South Carolina may think he has got a great win, but the repeal of the 100th meridian provision, which is in this bill, allows the U.S. Forest Service to steer millions of Federal spending away from his State. prgtoken Like the Comptroller of the United States told us in December, left to their own devices, the U.S. Forest Service will spend 80 percent of their funding to the west of the meridian. And that was with Congressional oversight. Once passed and set on autopilot, this program will only get worse. prgtoken If your goal was to expand recreational opportunities to more Americans, then you have failed miserably if you vote for this bill. prgtoken But that is not the only problem with this legislation. I proposed a bipartisan amendment that would require the construction done under this act to adhere to Buy American provisions. prgtoken It was endorsed by the United Steelworkers, the AFL-CIO, American Iron and Steel Institute, and a broad coalition of trade associations and unions. The underlying bill includes billions in new spending on infrastructure. Those billions could be spent on products manufactured by American workers. prgtoken Can Congress consider this today? No. prgtoken Why? Because the rejected the amendment, rejected American workers, and rejected American manufacturing. At a time when America needs jobs, a failure to include Buy American provisions in this bill is a shame on this House. prgtoken I had amendments dealing with the infrastructure challenges facing our Native American reservations, including funding for Indian education and Indian health. In areas where COVID-19 was destructive, they need funds desperately to get back into the 21st century from their current dilapidated state. prgtoken Will Congress consider these amendments? No, because the special interests behind this legislation don