mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO JOHN CESCHINI
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-7-26

I wish to recognize an outstanding educator from the State of Maryland. John Ceschini has been an extraordinary leader in the area of arts education. His work has, in short, transformed this field and the lives of countless students. prgtoken For the last 4 years, Mr. Ceschini was the arts integration officer for Prince George's County schools. During that time, he played an integral role in the expansion of the arts integration program, which is now the largest in the country. prgtoken Previously, Mr. Ceschini was the executive director of education in the Maryland Schools Alliance. In 2011, he received the National Arts Education Association's Distinguished Service Award, and in 2010, he received the Innovator of the Year Award from the ``Daily Record'' for his efforts to support and expand the arts integration initiative across Maryland. prgtoken Mr. Ceschini served as principal of two elementary schools that developed nationally recognized arts integration programs under his leadership. One of those schools, Kensington Parkwood Elementary School in Kensington, MD, was the 2007 recipient of the Creative Ticket National Schools of Distinction Award. In 2006, the school received the New and Emerging Art School Award from the International Network of Schools for the Advancement of Arts Education. Before that, Mr. Ceschini served as principal of Rockledge Elementary School in Bowie, a Maryland Blue Ribbon school that received national recognition for its arts program. In fact, Harvard University included Rockledge in its ``Why Arts Survive'' research and named the program as one of eight promising arts schools in the Nation. prgtoken Mr. Ceschini was one of four educators across the Nation who received the BRAVO Network National Arts Education award for his commitment to arts education. His other awards included the Washington Post Outstanding Educational Leader Award, the Prince George's Arts Council ABE Award for outstanding elementary arts program, the Prince George's Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Administrator Award, and the Bowie Outstanding Citizen Award. prgtoken Mr. Ceschini has been an advocate for arts education across the world and has demonstrated how the arts can play an essential role in any school curriculum. There can be no doubt that he is one of our country's most effective leaders in arts education. Now, as he begins his well-earned retirement, I call upon my colleagues to join me in congratulating and expressing our appreciation to John Ceschini on his outstanding service.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019--CONFERENCE REPORT
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2018-7-26

last year, around this time, millions of Americans were mobilizing, marching, calling, and writing with a simple, straightforward demand. They demanded the U.S. Senate stand up to and protect the nearly 30 million Americans who were at risk because the Party was hell-bent on destroying the Affordable Care Act, the ACA. prgtoken With a vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act looming late in the evening, I came to the Senate floor that night intending to stand with the thousands of Hawaii residents who wrote or called my office with a sense of urgency to save their healthcare. prgtoken I wasn't scheduled to speak that evening. I had already spoken many times previously about the importance of healthcare. As the debate wore on, much of it focused on healthcare in the abstract. I felt compelled to talk about the immediacy of healthcare because of what I was experiencing. prgtoken Two months earlier, I had been diagnosed with kidney cancer during a routine examination. It is a moment everyone dreads, but it is also a moment nearly every family in this country has experienced at some point. Even as I reckoned with what came next--two surgeries and now ongoing immunotherapy--I knew I was fortunate. I had health insurance that allowed me to focus on my treatment rather than worrying about whether I could afford the care that would save my life. prgtoken Every American deserves the same peace of mind because healthcare is a right, not a privilege just for those who can afford it. During my treatment, I was heartened by the kind words of support by my colleagues from both sides of the aisle. Many share stories about how cancer touched their lives. For some, it was a personal battle. For others, it was a child, a parent, or a spouse. prgtoken I was touched by their compassion. It meant a lot to me to know so many people were pulling for me. I was dismayed that evening on the Senate floor because the empathy my colleagues showed me did not extend to the millions of people who would lose their healthcare if the ACA was repealed that night. prgtoken I rose that night and implored my colleagues to show the same compassion to the American people that they showed me by voting against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken In a dramatic late-night vote, we joined together across party lines to save healthcare for millions of Americans, but the fight was not over. There was the hope that we could come together to improve our Nation's healthcare system. prgtoken We got off to a good start, with Senators Murray and Alexander's good-faith negotiations on a plan that would have helped stabilize insurance markets and provide a path forward to strengthening our country's healthcare system. prgtoken Instead of embracing this bipartisan effort and proposal, and leaders doubled down on their efforts to destroy and dismantle the ACA, no matter the consequence
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019--CONFERENCE REPORT
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-7-26

I want to start by thanking Senator Brown for organizing time for our speeches today and, of course, for his tireless fight on behalf of working people in this country. prgtoken I rise today to join Senator Brown and my other colleagues in standing with Federal workers in Massachusetts and all around the country--Federal prgtoken workers who are under attack from all sides by the administration. prgtoken There are nearly 30,000 Federal workers in Massachusetts alone, and almost a quarter of them are veterans--thousands of men and women who have put themselves in harm's way to protect us and then come home and continue serving their communities in the Federal workforce. These Americans work at agencies like the Social Security Administration, to help older Americans receive the benefits they have earned, and they work at the VA, where they help us fulfill the promises that we have made to our veterans. They help to keep our communities safe, and they help them recover after a disaster hits. They fight deadly diseases and work day in and day out to improve the health of our fellow citizens. Those are just a few examples. prgtoken But ever since taking office, President has attacked these public servants, attacked their paychecks, attacked their working conditions, and attacked their retirement security in just about every way he could think of--freezing their pay and proposing draconian cuts to their wages and their hard-earned retirement benefits. prgtoken His latest assault, in the form of three Executive orders, undermines collective bargaining rights that have protected Federal workers' voices in their workplaces since the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 passed this Senate 87 to 1. These orders disrupt the bargaining processes that Federal workers have used for decades, and they interfere with the ability of unions to represent their members. For example, one of President 's Executive orders severely cuts down on the time that unions can spend helping their workers navigate the process for filing a workplace sexual harassment claim or getting whistleblower protections in order to report fraud and corruption in the government. prgtoken President 's attacks on these public servants and their rights undermine important government services and the rights of all American workers, and they are part of a clear pattern. Despite his campaign rhetoric from 2 years ago, the President's track record on standing up for workers has been absolutely miserable. From the day he nominated Andrew Puzder, an executive who delighted in mocking and belittling his own low-wage workers, to run the Labor Department, this administration has delivered one gut punch after another to American workers. prgtoken But that was only the beginning. In the administration, workers in all sectors and all industries and in all parts of the country are under repeated attack. President has signed laws
Introductory Statement on S.J. Res. 62
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-7-26

I regret it is necessary to introduce legislation that prevents a President from withdrawing from NATO. Our allies with whom we have fought alongside since World War II and earlier in some cases, are seriously questioning our allegiance for the first time in the history of the modern international order. President has chosen to call our European allies ``foes'' while aligning himself with a brutal and repressive authoritarian, Vladimir Putin, over the professional assessment of the U.S. intelligence community. Troubling news continues to flow from the President's disastrous trip to Europe for the NATO summit and his meeting with President Putin in Helsinki. And for the first time ever, we are forced to ask what options we have to preserve U.S. membership in the primary tool of peace and stability for the last 70 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. prgtoken In response to the only invocation of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, more than 1,100 servicemembers from our NATO allies have given their lives fighting alongside the United States. This is a sacrifice that should not be so easily cast aside by our President who continues to inaccurately depict the alliance as a protection racket and ``obsolete.'' While we must continue to press every country to continue increasing defense spending to meet the agreed upon goal of 2 percent of GDP by 2024, it is disconcerting to watch the President disparage these allies and make threats to withdraw the U.S. from NATO. Unfortunately, without action from Congress, this President might try to terminate U.S. membership in NATO. For this reason, we must affirmatively pronounce our legal position with regards to NATO, use our constitutionally required power of advice and consent to block any withdrawal and we must preemptively authorize legal proceedings to challenge any future decision to withdraw. prgtoken This legislation I am introducing today along with Senators Gardner, Reed, and McCain, is a bipartisan message to the President and the necessary tool needed to block the President from terminating the NATO treaty. It is the affirmative position of the United States Senate, supported by this Bill, and previous resolutions passed by this Congress, including and by the original vote of 82-13 in 1949 to give the Senate's advice and consent to join NATO, that the United States of America through their elected officials are unequivocally opposed to the U.S. withdrawing from NATO. This legislation also asserts our constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent to U.S. membership in treaties. Just as the President sought and received the advice and consent to enter into NATO, the President must also receive the advice and consent to terminate treaty membership--especially when such a decision would be at odds with the opinion of the Senate and the American people. Finally, this Bill will authorize Senate Legal Counsel to represent
CONGRATULATING MASTER SERGEANT STEPHEN MALLETTE
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-7-26

I rise to congratulate Master Sergeant Stephen Mallette on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Air Force. Chief Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force is the highest senior-level enlisted person in the U.S. Air Force. Chief Master Sergeant Stephen J. Mallette was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Proviso West High School and enlisted in the Air Force in 1988. prgtoken After joining the Air Force, Sergeant Mallette took courses in Korea 1989: prgtoken 1990 Korean Cryptologic Analytic Technical Training Course (Distinguished Graduate) prgtoken 1993 Airman Leadership School (Distinguished Graduate) prgtoken Davis-Monthan Graduate prgtoken 2003 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland Air Force Base in Lackland, Texas prgtoken Chief Master Sergeant Stephen Mallette has excelled at every level to which he has been assigned. Sergeant Stephen Mallette is exactly the kind of person our country would like to see in the military: well- trained, highly motivated and loyal to our country. He is the best, prgtoken and as he leaves the military he will continue to be the best. prgtoken I thank him for his many years of service, and may the good Lord continue to bless and keep him.
HONORING JEFFREY HANSEN
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-7-26

I rise today to recognize Jeffrey Hansen, founding winemaker of Lula Cellars, who passed away on prgtoken June 5 at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco after more than three decades producing award-winning California wines. prgtoken Born May 7, 1952, in Sherman Oaks, California, Mr. Hansen graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena in 1973. After a successful fourteen-year career as a commercial product photographer for Southern California advertising agencies, Mr. Hansen decided to move to Northern California in 1985 to pursue his passion for wine and winemaking. prgtoken Mr. Hansen's career in wine began in 1987 at Spring Mountain Vineyard in Napa Valley. During his time working for Spring Mountain, he began making wines at home, and discovered the Anderson Valley region of Mendocino County, famed for its Pinot Noir grapes. Mr. Hansen continued to work in Napa Valley, producing his first wines for Amici Cellars in Calistoga in 1991, and continued to work for the label until 2009. prgtoken Hansen then founded the label he was best known for, Lula Cellars, in 2010. Named in honor of his grandmother as a tribute to her tenacity and optimism in the face of adversity, Mr. Hansen cited her as his inspiration in life. The winery sold out its first 600 cases and continues to be lauded by fans, and has won numerous awards and medals. Mr. Hansen stepped down as winemaker for Lula Cellars in 2017, retaining the title of Founder and Winemaker Emeritus. prgtoken Mr. Hansen made impressive contributions to Mendocino County's winemaking industry, promoting and supporting the economy of Mendocino County and the popularity of California wines. He leaves a distinctive legacy and a unique winery, and it is therefore appropriate that we honor the memory of an entrepreneurial leader whose winemaking contributed greatly to the prosperity and recognition of Anderson Valley and Mendocino County wines.
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5515, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019
Niki Tsongas (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-7-26

I thank Ranking Member Smith for his always knowledgeable and articulate leadership. I have appreciated it very much as I have served on this committee. prgtoken , it has been my privilege to serve as the ranking member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, alongside my colleague and friend, Chairman Mike Turner of Ohio. I, once again, thank Mr. Turner for the spirit of bipartisanship and collegiality he has shown over the years on this subcommittee and on the many other issues on which we have worked closely, including addressing the scourge of sexual assault in the military. prgtoken Among many important provisions, this year's bill includes measures aimed at providing increased oversight over key naval aircraft and makes crucial investments in research and development aimed at better protecting the men and women we send into harm's way. prgtoken This is the last NDAA that I will have the privilege of helping craft. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve on the House Armed Services Committee for the last 11 years, a committee that has such a proud tradition of bipartisan cooperation and, as such, is a model for the country during these challenging times. prgtoken I commend the committee, under the leadership of Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith, and the many members of the professional staff for their work in managing such an important and complex piece of legislation in such a timely manner. prgtoken , I urge support for the conference report, so aptly named for the heroic Senator John McCain.
HUTCHINSON CHURCH GROUP VOLUNTEERS
Collin C. Peterson (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-7-26

I rise today to recognize a group of four adults and eight students from Hutchinson, Minnesota, who traveled to Haiti and volunteered a week of their time to build and upgrade a new church office and teach kids at an Orphanage through a missionary program through Peace Lutheran Church. prgtoken These men and women rolled up their sleeves to help as much as possible at Good Shepherd Orphanage. The first day at the Orphanage they worked with kids on arts and crafts projects and helped the local pastor with construction on his new office in the church. prgtoken After a week of work, the group was scheduled to fly back to Minnesota. However, civil unrest in Port-au-Prince forced the State Department to issue a shelter-in-place warning to Americans staying near the capital. The Orphanage was very helpful in making sure they had enough food and water for the additional three days they stayed. At the Orphanage, the group felt safe as rock blockades and fires prevented their movement. prgtoken While civil unrest continued to paralyze Port-au-Prince, my office stayed in close contact with the Hutchinson church group. Over the three days, they experienced more of Haitian culture and spent extra time working with the kids. Once most of the road blockades were secure and local authorities deemed it safe to move, the group was escorted to the airport and boarded a flight home. I am thankful for the aptly- named Good Shepherd Orphanage who provided shelter, food, and water to a group of Minnesotans who needed it unexpectedly. I look forward to meeting with the Hutchinson church group to learn more about their incredible experiences in Haiti.
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5515, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019
Stephanie N. Murphy (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-7-26

as a former DOD employee, I know our men and women in uniform must have the authorities and resources to get the job done. They must be well equipped in order to deter and defeat adversaries. That is why I strongly urge my colleagues to pass the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership on this bipartisan bill. As a member of the Armed Services Committee and of the conference committee that reconciled the House and Senate versions of the bill, I am honored to have played a role in crafting this final product. prgtoken We must fight for our servicemembers as hard as they have fought for us. We must give them the tools they need to succeed not only on the battlefield, but also once they leave the service. prgtoken Our military produces remarkably talented and well-trained individuals, but too many of these warriors struggle to transition to the civilian world. That is why I am so pleased that the core of my bill, the BATTLE for Servicemembers Act, was included in the NDAA. This provision improves DOD's Transition Assistance Program, which helps departing servicemembers prepare for life after the military. prgtoken Specifically, my provision ensures departing servicemembers take a specialized 2-day course to prepare them to attend college, learn a trade, or start a small business. These targeted courses are optional under current law, and, as a result, few servicemembers can take advantage of them. I am hopeful my provision will lead to increased participation in these courses so that more men and women in our military will be prepared to make a successful transition to civilian life. prgtoken I am also proud the NDAA includes the full text of my bill to modernize SBA's microloan program, which provides small-dollar loans to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, including veteran entrepreneurs. prgtoken I urge my colleagues on both sides to support this bill.
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5515, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019
Adam Smith (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-7-26

5 minutes. prgtoken , I want to thank the chairman for his leadership of the committee. Our committee is committed to completing this process every year, and I think it is a great example of how the legislative process should work. It is bipartisan; it follows regular order; and the chairman deserves a great deal of credit for making sure that both of those things happened. prgtoken He has been very inclusive of all the members of the committee, and s, and also all the Members of this House who have had interest in what goes into this bill to make sure that we have the strongest possible national security policy. prgtoken I really appreciate his leadership, but I also share with him the gratitude that we have for our staff and the incredible hard work that they do to pull this process together. As the chairman mentioned, this is the soonest we have completed the NDAA--knock on wood, assuming we complete it--in my entire time in Congress. That took a lot of people doing a lot of work, Members and staff alike. prgtoken The chairman mentioned some of the legislative counsel staff. These are the people who when at the absolute last minute we decide, oh, we prefer it done this way, they are the ones who have to go back in and rewrite the entire thing and redo the entire thing at all hours of the night. They do a spectacular job and are frequently unrecognized. prgtoken The chairman mentioned some of them. I want to mention the rest: Mark Synnes, Hank Savage, I am going to do my best on this name--Kalyani Parthasarathy, Tom Cassidy, Casey Ebner, and Paul Kubicki. These folks do an amazing job for our country and for the men and women in the military. I really appreciate their tireless work and the outstanding product they produce for us each year. prgtoken I agree with the chairman that we have a very strong bill this year. I also agree with the chairman that if any one of us were to write it, we would write it differently. There are things we would like to see in that were left out and things that are in that we prefer were not. But that is the nature of the legislative process. It is a compromise, an effort to work together to hopefully come up with a good product, and I think that is what we did this time. prgtoken The chairman mentioned a number of the highlights. prgtoken I am particularly focused on the fact that we do have language in this bill to take a look at the issue of civilian casualties as a result of some of our military action throughout the world, to get a better read on exactly what is happening and how we can minimize those. prgtoken There is also language for a review of exactly what our military is doing in Yemen, to make sure that it complies with the law and complies with the interests of the United States. prgtoken I am also pleased that, once again, we were able to avoid putting any environmental riders into this bill. prgtoken Also, I agree with the chairman t