mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COMMEMORATING OKLAHOMANS IN SPACE
Kendra S. Horn (Democrat, OK) \u2014 2019-6-20

. Madam , I rise today to talk about Oklahomans in space. prgtoken Born in Oklahoma's Fifth Congressional District in Shawnee, retired Air Force Colonel Gordon Cooper was one of the first Mercury astronauts. In 1962, he served as a backup for the Sigma 7 mission. A year later, he circled Earth 22 times in the space capsule Faith 7, completing the sixth and last of the Mercury manned spaceflights. prgtoken He also served as a command pilot of Gemini 5 on an 8-day endurance mission. This not only made him the first person to make two orbital flights, but he also set an endurance record on this mission of nearly 191 hours. prgtoken Before becoming an astronaut with NASA, Colonel Cooper earned a commission with the U.S. Army in the late 1940s and then transferred to the Air Force where he received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautics from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright- Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. prgtoken If you visit the National Portrait Gallery in D.C you will see a picture of Colonel Cooper as one of NASA's Mercury Seven astronauts. I am proud to honor his memory, legacy, and history-making achievements in space. prgtoken Madam , women astronauts from Oklahoma have also made critical contributions to our Nation's space program. Jerrie Cobb and Shannon Lucid are two of those pioneers who paved the way in space and aeronautics. prgtoken Cobb is considered one of the most gifted female pilots in history and a fierce advocate for women astronauts. Born in Norman, Oklahoma, and a graduate from Oklahoma City's Classen High School, Cobb became the first woman to fly in the Paris Air Show and was among the first women certified to be an astronaut as a member of the little-known Mercury 13 in the early 1960s. She testified before Congress in 1962, urging lawmakers to allow women to go into space. prgtoken Though she never got to leave the Earth's atmosphere, Cobb helped pave the way for future generations of women astronauts like fellow Oklahoman and astronaut, Dr. Shannon Lucid. I pause to honor the memory of Dr. Cobb today, as she passed away 3 months ago at the age of 88. prgtoken Lady astronaut Dr. Shannon Lucid, a Congressional District Five resident, graduated from Bethany High School. Among the first six women astronauts selected by NASA, Dr. Lucid became an astronaut in 1979. Not only did she fly on five spaceflights, she is also the only American woman to serve aboard the Mir Space Station. prgtoken Before Peggy Whitson broke the record of the number of hours in space, Dr. Lucid set the record with 5,354 hours in space. In December of 1996, she became the first woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for her record-breaking service aboard the Mir, and she retired from NASA in 2012. prgtoken Because of the glass ceiling shattered by Jerrie Cobb and Dr. Shannon Lucid, generations of women can and do now follow in their footsteps.
HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. BERNICE ``BUNNY'' SANDLER
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise today to honor the remarkable life of Doctor Bernice ``Bunny'' Sandler, on the 47th anniversary of Title IX. Dr. Sandler was an activist and champion of women's equality in higher education, which earned her the nickname ``Godmother of Title IX.'' She passed away in January of this year at the age of ninety. prgtoken After being passed over for a job in 1969 at the University of Maryland, Dr. Sandler realized that she must act on the discrimination she experienced. During this time in history, academic departments refused to hire women in non-entry level positions and many graduate programs denied admission to women, but Sandler refused to take no for an answer. She researched the strategies of black civil rights activists and applied them to women's rights in academia. prgtoken After discovering a presidential executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating based on race, color, religion, and national origin, Sandler contacted the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance, where she planned the first complaint against universities and colleges on discrimination. prgtoken Sandler helped the Women's Equity Action League start a national campaign to file complaints against widespread sex discrimination at universities. She formed alliances with Members of Congress, including Representative Martha Griffiths of my home state of Michigan, who gave the first speech in Congress about discrimination against women in education. prgtoken Sandler went on to become a Congressional staffer, leading the hearings on women's education and employment which led to Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. After the passage of Title IX Sandler continued her fight for gender equity, delivering thousands of speeches and providing consultation for schools who sought to integrate women. prgtoken As we celebrate the 47th anniversary of Title IX, we must celebrate Doctor Bernice ``Bunny'' Sandler for all the hard work she put into making it possible.
HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS
Raul Ruiz (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise to urge a vote on my bill, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act, an all-American, value-based, comprehensive public health approach to help CBP address the basic humanitarian needs of children and families under their custody and responsibility. prgtoken When I visited our southern border, I saw overworked agents and the meltdown of a system that is understaffed, under-equipped, under- resourced, under-trained, and under-skilled to meet the humanitarian needs of children and families. prgtoken That is why my bill identifies humanitarian standards on water, sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, and shelter missing from the administration's emergency supplemental budget request. prgtoken My bill requires a clearly defined medical screening for all individuals in CBP custody, and identifies priority groups, like children and seniors, who should receive their screenings within 3 hours of being detained by CBP. prgtoken It identifies how many calories a pregnant woman or a child should be given each day, for example, and it requires that CBP provide toothbrushes and diapers, the chance to bathe at least once a day, and meets everyone's basic daily need to drink enough water. prgtoken Madam , I urge my fellow representatives to support these straightforward reforms to prevent the deaths of children, and ensure our treatment of women, children, and families seeking asylum is consistent with the basic principles of human dignity.
RECOGNIZING DR. GUY ``ZAK'' ZAKREVSKY
Eric Swalwell (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise to recognize Dr. Guy ``Zak'' Zakrevsky on the occasion of his retirement after 34 years of service to education in the East Bay, the last six of which he devoted to the Hayward Unified School District (HUSD). prgtoken Zak joined HUSD in 2013 as the Director of the Hayward Center for Education and Careers at the Hayward Adult School (HAS). He took on this role with one goal in mind: ensuring students have the education, literacy, and job skills training required to reach their full potential. prgtoken In pursuit of this goal, Zak set out to implement and bolster innovative and impactful programs that would work to improve student achievement. Under his stewardship, programs such as Career Technical and Vocational Education and Youth Re-engagement for At-Risk Youth have flourished and provided students with invaluable exposure and workplace experience. prgtoken Zak understands that, if given the right resources, each student has the potential to excel. It is why he, alongside his team and in partnership with other community organizations, helped create the Raising Leaders in Hayward Workshops. These workshops leveraged access within the City of Hayward's Human Resources Department and set out to inspire students with experiences from a cross-section of industries while placed in paid internships and developing the skills needed to succeed in their desired careers. prgtoken Zak always strived to make HAS a hub for our community. He worked closely with outside organizations, such as the Alameda County Deputy Sheriff's Activities League for disadvantaged communities, to provide new soccer fields, boxing coaches and tournaments, the construction of a new gymnasium, and a dance studio open to everyone. It was through these collaborative efforts that a new Makerspace became available for anyone interested in fostering their creative energy or entrepreneurial spirit. In 2017 the Makerspace graciously hosted my office's successful Congressional App Challenge at which students could operate 3D printers and plasma cutters during breaks from writing lines of code. Zak knew that it took bringing everyone together to make a positive impact in the lives of our students. prgtoken I want to thank Dr. Guy Zakrevsky for the contributions he has made to the 15th Congressional District and his dedication to all our students in the East Bay. His work will have a lasting and profound impact on the shape of our community, and I wish him a long and relaxing retirement.
URBAN GUN VIOLENCE
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , while I would love to rise in celebration of the first day of summer, the cold, hard fact is that, as temperatures soar, so does urban gun violence. prgtoken During a graduation party last weekend in my district in southwest Philadelphia, a gunman opened fire, claiming one life and injuring five other people. prgtoken Last weekend, 23 separate shootings claimed 32 victims and caused five deaths in just 2 days in Philadelphia--23 shootings and five deaths in one weekend. prgtoken What is infuriating is that there are proven, commonsense measures that will reduce gun violence in our cities, and the number one strategy is background checks. prgtoken 115 days have passed since the House sent two bipartisan, commonsense gun safety bills to the Senate. They would have strengthened our background checks. And what has the Senate done? Nothing. prgtoken During those 115 days, 11,400 people have died from gun violence in the United States. prgtoken Senator McConnell likes to joke about his legislative graveyard, but countless families are actually burying their loved ones while he does nothing. prgtoken The American people deserve better. Our children deserve better.
CONDEMNING FEBRUARY 14 TERRORIST ATTACKS AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE PLIGHT OF THE KASHMIRI PANDITS
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, I want to draw attention to the ongoing problem of terrorism in Kashmir and the often-overlooked plight of the Kashmiri Hindu Pandits. prgtoken On February 14, 2019, a terrorist attack in Kashmir killed 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel. This attack was perpetrated by an operative of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a U.S. and UN-designated terrorist group. Then, on June 13, 2019, 5 Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in another terrorist attack in Kashmir perpetrated by Al Umar Mujahideen, a different terrorist organization. These attacks are hardly unusual--over the years, thousands of civilians and security personnel have been killed in terrorist attacks in Kashmir. prgtoken The United States has been attacked by terrorist groups similar to the ones in Kashmir. It is therefore imperative that we stand with India in this time of need. prgtoken The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has historically had a culture of religious tolerance and pluralism, where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Christians practiced their faith freely in an atmosphere of mutual respect and peace. The violence the region has witnessed in recent decades has eroded this tradition. One group that has suffered as a result is the Kashmiri Pandits, who have lived in Kashmir for centuries. By some estimates, 300,000 Pandits once lived in Kashmir. Today, by some estimates, only 3,000-5,000 remain. This is a tragedy that is too often ignored. Sadly, the violence in Kashmir is likely to continue until different sects restore the tradition of religious tolerance and pluralism. prgtoken To conclude, I ask my colleagues to co-sponsor H. Res. 408, which Congressman Perry, Congressman Krishnamoorthi, and I introduced in May 2019. Besides condemning the February terrorist attacks, this resolution acknowledges that the House of Representatives supports the rights of religious and other minorities around the world, including the Kashmiri Pandits.
MEDICAID CLIFF
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , the Mariana Islands and four other U.S. insular areas face a Medicaid ``cliff''. prgtoken Funding included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act expires this year. prgtoken Two-thirds of our annual Medicaid funding disappears, gone, putting healthcare at risk not just for Medicaid recipients, but for everyone who uses our hospital or other providers, because they depend as well on Medicaid revenues to stay in business or open. prgtoken I held a hearing last month on this Medicaid cliff. Chair Eshoo held a hearing yesterday, for which I am grateful. prgtoken This attention is good. We need Congress to focus on this impending healthcare crisis for Americans living in the insular areas. prgtoken Certainly, more money is needed. Treat the insular areas like the States. prgtoken But the goal is not just money. prgtoken What we want is medical care for those who need it in the insular areas to be every bit as good as medical care anywhere in America.
RECOGNIZING REMARKS OF RABBI DR. ISRAEL ZOBERMAN
Elaine G. Luria (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise today to include in the Record a statement submitted by Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman, founder and spiritual leader of the new Temple Lev Tikvah (Heart of Hope), a Reform Jewish congregation in Virginia Beach. My heart indeed overflows with hope, gratitude and love as I humbly though proudly announce the blessed birth of the youngest synagogue in Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads. It is housed in a unique ecumenical Christian setting, the only such in the world, making it now an even more exceptional interfaith center. Church Of The Holy Apostles, established in Virginia Beach in 1977, is both an Episcopal and Catholic congregation. Their loving embrace of my new Reform Jewish Temple is ample and inspiring testimony to their genuine ecumenical spirit reaching beyond their own common and diverse Christian traditions. With this golden opportunity we are making and impacting history. Our one God is surely smiling upon us. They graciously invite their Jewish brethren to tend to our four-thousand-year-old nourishing roots that have blessed the human family, instrumental in birthing the two other great monotheistic world religions of Christianity and Islam. Bishop James Magness of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia and Bishop Barry Knestout of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond are to be commended for their broad ecumenical vision, spiritual fortitude and shining faith in action. Together we reaffirm a holy bond in face of a complex and trying history. We are committed to overcome troubling past shadows. Having already made major strides forward, we should maintain and build upon those breakthrough accomplishments of monumental change. We are mutually enabled to cultivate a precious interfaith linkage, appreciating each other's differences and particularities while celebrating our often overlooked but no less important commonalities, as we collectively admit to our shortcomings, ignorance and biases. This awesome journey of mutual discovery while interfacing under one roof, challenges us all to bring out the best God planted within us. It gains added critical significance against the unsettling backdrop of the global resurgence of consuming dark forces. Anti- Semitism with its recent deadly and shocking manifestation in American synagogues, along with horrific terrorist attacks on Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and others at worship and elsewhere. I am acutely mindful of my personal sacred responsibility to ever be a builder of Shalom's essential bridges of healing, hope and harmony. After all, I am a family member of the Holocaust's surviving remnant of European Jewry. Let us count our blessings even as we commit to turning blemishes into blessings and ke
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES APPROPRIATIONS
Lauren Underwood (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , as a nurse and cofounder of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, I am fully committed to advancing policies that reduce maternal health disparities. prgtoken Black women are nearly four times more likely than White women and more than twice as likely as women of other races to die from preventable pregnancy-related complications. prgtoken This is a national crisis. prgtoken Madam , I rise today to thank Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and Ranking Member Tom Cole for their prgtoken dedication to addressing maternal health in the fiscal year 2020 Labor- HHS appropriations bill, including through the following investments: $1.58 billion for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which supports research that investigates the causes and interventions for maternal health disparities among Black women; $50 million to initiate research on maternal mortality and disparities in maternal mortality rates; and a $12 million increase in funding for the CDC Safe Motherhood and Infant Health program's Maternal Mortality Review Committees, supporting research to comprehensively assess maternal deaths and identify opportunities for prevention. prgtoken This funding is an important step forward toward achieving optimal birth outcomes for all families. prgtoken Madam , I thank the Appropriations Committee, and hope my colleagues will continue to support funding for programs that will improve the outcomes for women and families.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Andy Kim (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken Mr. Chair, as the vice chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, improving road safety at and around our military facilities is an important part of maintaining and enhancing military readiness. prgtoken Simply put, if our servicemen and -women can't safely drive, they can't safely train, and that puts our military at a distinct disadvantage. prgtoken We have dozens of military facilities across our country, but I want to give you one example of how prioritizing road safety will improve our readiness. prgtoken My district, made up of Burlington and Ocean Counties in New Jersey, is home to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The joint base is a key military training facility, but the lack of proper investment in road safety projects has impeded our military's ability to train. prgtoken By building a simple overpass over Route 539, the Army Reserve would have access to more than hundreds of additional training acres. Because one-third of Army reservists live within a short drive of under 4 hours from the joint base, additional training would save us money and give them more time with their families. prgtoken Furthermore, this would allow the Army Reserve to conduct much-needed training exercises with night vision equipment used in war zones, training exercises that they simply cannot execute because the roads aren't safe enough. prgtoken This is one example, but it is not the only one. prgtoken This is a chance for us to stand with our servicemen and -women, a chance for us to stand for readiness, and a chance for us to stand for safety. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge support for the men and women across our country who serve and the adoption of this commonsense amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam Chair, this has been a very important week in the evolution of the Federal policy to end the failed policy of prohibition on cannabis. prgtoken Yesterday, the House overwhelmingly approved my amendment that would prohibit the Department of Justice from interfering with any State- legal cannabis activities. We had also approved an amendment that granted the same protections to the Tribes. prgtoken This is remarkable progress that we have seen, but it is just an effort by Congress to catch up to where the rest of the American public is. prgtoken For the last 23 years, American voters have changed the policies that are outmoded and dangerous. Most recently, we have seen a wave of activity dealing not just with medical marijuana but dealing with adult use. The public, by a two-thirds margin, supports this. prgtoken And, when we talk about medical marijuana, it is like the Fourth of July. Ninety percent of the American public believes that we ought to have access to medical marijuana. prgtoken I have been working in this Congress to extend the same opportunities to our veterans, who, if anything, need medical marijuana more than any other category of our citizens. We lost 7,000 people to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but we have lost over 100,000 veterans to suicides and opioid overdoses. prgtoken The VA, I am afraid, has not been as helpful as it should be. They prescribe opioids for our veterans at a rate 50 percent higher than others. Our veterans are twice as likely to die from overdose. prgtoken I am deeply concerned about that. That is why I have repeatedly advanced this amendment. Two sessions ago, it passed the House, it passed the Senate, and it was in the final version of the bill, only to be stripped out by the leadership. prgtoken An illustration of how far we have evolved: The House leadership that prgtoken stripped this provision out was headed by Boehner, who is now a spokesperson for the cannabis industry, having described that he has evolved on this issue and thinks it is a good idea. prgtoken We haven't evolved, in this Congress, in providing protections for the VA. Even though this amendment has passed repeatedly, all of a sudden, the VA has decided, well, they would be putting their doctors at risk. prgtoken It never came up before. If we had known about it, we could work around it. And I think we can and should work to fix this. prgtoken It is outrageous. And if you talk to people like the Veterans Cannabis Coalition, or talk to veterans in your own district, they will tell you that their lives have been transformed by access to medical cannabis and they don't want highly addictive, dangerous opioids. prgtoken We need to do right by them. I am going to, reluctantly, withdraw this amendment, this amendment that has passed repeatedly on the floor of the House and is so badly needed. prgtoken And I hope that we will be able to work together to fix this little quirk, to make sure that VA d
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF WILLIAM TULLY BROWN
Tom O’Halleran (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2019-6-21

. Madam , I rise today to pay respects to a hero and a warrior. William Tully Brown, one of the last surviving Navajo code talkers, passed away earlier this month at the age of 96. prgtoken The code talkers were a group of brave soldiers who used their native tongue to create unbreakable codes in the battlefield and to transmit messages during World War II. They participated in every major Marine operation in the Pacific Theater, saving hundreds of thousands of lives. prgtoken I was saddened to hear of the passing of another decorated hero from this important group. prgtoken William was born in Black Mountain, Arizona, in 1922, and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1944. During his service, he received many military honors, including the American Campaign Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. prgtoken We must never forget William Tully Brown and all code talkers for their service to our country and our veterans' service to their country.