mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN APPRECIATION OF PLASMA DONORS
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-5

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the importance of donating plasma and to applaud those individuals that make the commitment to be a plasma donor. Many Americans are impacted by rare, serious, and sometimes life- threatening medical conditions that are effectively managed by therapies derived from donated plasma. Patients affected by alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, hemophilia, hereditary angioedema, platelet disorders, primary immunodeficiency diseases, as well as other communities rely on plasma-derived therapies. For many of these patients, plasma-derived therapies represent life-sustaining or life-improving medicine that is only available and accessible as a result of plasma donors. Moreover, these therapies represent the cutting-edge of medicine and it often takes dozens of donations to prepare one course of treatment for a single patient. These communities are collectively represented by the American Plasma Users Coalition, which works on policy issues to protect the safety of plasma donors and plasma products, and to ensure an adequate supply of plasma donations to meet the medical needs of patients. As science advances and we are better able to diagnose these conditions and treat additional conditions due to breakthroughs with plasma- derived therapies, we will need more Americans to make the important choice to donate plasma to ensure all patients continue to have access to essential treatments. Many of us have already made the commitment to be either an occasional or regular plasma donor. Often times, this decision stems from knowing a patient who relies on plasma-derived therapies and understanding the tremendous impact a simple donation has on their health and the well-being of their family. Plasma donors come from all walks-of-life and all backgrounds, but to the patient community they are everyday heroes. Madam , let us recognize the contributions of plasma donors while calling attention to the importance of plasma donation.
INTRODUCTION OF EASTERSEALS 100TH ANNIVERSARY RESOLUTION
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-2-5

. Madam , it is my pleasure to introduce today a resolution honoring the 100th anniversary of the Easterseals. On April 22, 2019, the Easterseals will celebrate 100 years as America's first non-profit organization to serve individuals with disabilities and other special needs. prgtoken Once only focused on serving children with special needs, Easterseals expanded its mission in the 1940s to serve children and adults. For decades now, their innovative services opened the doors to assist seniors, veterans and individuals with autism. prgtoken The Easterseals had a tragic beginning. In 1907, a streetcar accident in Elyria, Ohio, took the lives of eight people because there was no local hospital to treat their injuries. One of the deceased was the 18- year-old son of Edgar F. Allen, who in his sorrow was inspired to raise the funds necessary to build a local hospital. 18 months later, the Elyria Memorial Hospital was built and opened with 32 beds. prgtoken Eight years after that, another Elyria hospital opened for ``crippled children.'' On April 22, 1919, Mr. Allen organized with civic leaders from Elyria, Cleveland, Sandusky, and Toledo, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan to form the Ohio Society for Crippled Children, the original name of the Easterseals. prgtoken May the festivities of this 100th anniversary year bring renewed faith and opportunity to those aided by Easterseal services. Through rehabilitation services, new and fulfilling life opportunities become possible. prgtoken Let us all take inspiration in the words of founder, Edgar F. Allen: ``Your life and mine shall be valued not by what we take . . . but by what we give.'' Congratulations to all associated with such an important organization.
DESIGNATING THE OUTSTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN NORTH OGDEN, UTAH, AS THE MAJOR BRENT TAYLOR VET CENTER OUTSTATION
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-2-5

I am very proud to be a cosponsor of the Peters amendment, as well as other amendments that Senator Peters has put forward, and I thank him very much for his leadership. prgtoken To me, this is common sense. I am very disappointed that this will not be included in this bill. I will join Senator Peters in advocating in the House for this clarification and other changes that will make it very clear about an individual's right to be able to have freedom of speech in all of its forms. prgtoken It is very unfortunate today that we could not have adopted this commonsense approach that would have made this bill, I think, stronger than it is now. prgtoken I thank Senator Peters for his hard work on this.
NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
Jesús G. "Chuy" García (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-2-6

. Madam , s, Representative Espaillat and Representative Sablan, for yielding this time and for organizing this important hour to speak truth to power and provide an opportunity for the American people to hear the truth in contrast to the lies that were told by President in how he propagandized about immigrants. prgtoken I take this issue personally. The way the President has characterized immigrants denigrates the dignity and the humanity of millions around the world, including myself. prgtoken You see, Madam , I was born in a tiny village called Los Pinos in the Mexican state of Durango. I am an immigrant. prgtoken My mother raised me, the youngest of four, while my father worked in the United States as part of a World War II-era bracero program. He was a migrant seasonal worker, a pioneer of what would later become the H- 2A visa program. prgtoken Eventually, my father got a job in a storage plant in Chicago, and my family immigrated to the U.S. in 1965. I still remember my first American meal at a gas station in El Paso, Texas, a bologna sandwich. prgtoken Today, I stand on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives with great pride to have been elected a Member of Congress. But, also, I carry a heavy burden, both on my conscience and on my shoulders. prgtoken The President's grotesque characterization of immigrants as rapists, drug dealers, and murderers is an affront to me, to my mother, to my family. Most importantly, it is an affront to my community and every single American, lest we forget that our Nation values immigrants. prgtoken Last night, the President doubled down on his rhetoric of hate, once again falsely describing a security crisis at the border. Today, I want to make clear three points on why we so desperately need immigration reform. prgtoken First, let me be clear: There is no crisis at the border. The only crisis we face is the inadequate response to the humanitarian relief that women, children, asylum seekers, and refugees want, while this administration abdicates America's moral duty to serve and welcome those most in need. prgtoken The truth is that, Madam , migrants are escaping some of the harshest regimes in Central America, where political and economic turmoil threaten their lives. That is why they come. prgtoken Contrary to the President's fearmongering, analysis from The New York Times and the Center for American Progress shows that illegal immigration is near an all-time low. In fact, apprehensions at the border have declined more than 75 percent since the year 2000. prgtoken Most drug trafficking is coming through our ports of entry, not rural sections of the border. prgtoken Just last year, we witnessed the horror of young children being ripped out of the arms of their parents. The children were detained and held in cold, lifeless cages, like animals, where they slept on concrete floors and were given little more than aluminum sheets to keep them warm. <
LIVES CUT SHORT BY GUN VIOLENCE
Chrissy Houlahan (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2019-2-6

. Madam , I rise for Rodney and Michelle Roberson and their daughter Bianca, who was fatally shot in a road rage incident in June of 2017. prgtoken Bianca had recently graduated from Rustin High School in Chester County, in my district. She was coming back from a pre-college shopping trip when she found herself in an encounter with someone who tried passing her in a merge lane and then, in a horrific act, pulled out a loaded firearm and fired a single, fatal shot at Bianca. prgtoken Bianca was a beautiful and smart young lady who was, tragically, taken from us too soon because of senseless gun violence. prgtoken I rise for the 1,635 other Pennsylvanians whose lives were cut short in 2017 because of gun violence. I am a third-generation veteran, and I support responsible gun ownership. And, like many in my community, I support commonsense safety measures that Congress should act on to curtail gun violence in our communities. prgtoken We must act now.
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Resumed
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2019-2-6

thank you for the recognition. prgtoken I rise to express my strong support for the bipartisan public lands package. This legislation, which puts together over 100 public lands, natural resources, and water bills, protects and expands our Nation's lands and strengthens our local economies. prgtoken This sweeping package shows the country the tremendous amount that can be accomplished when both parties in Congress roll up their sleeves and work together toward a common goal. prgtoken While there are certainly other measures I wish we had included in this package, overall, this bill can pass both Chambers on strong bipartisan votes. I am looking forward to this Congress showing its strong support for keeping public lands in public hands and protecting them for future generations. prgtoken I am particularly proud of provisions in this package that I have championed for years to benefit my home State of New Mexico, starting with permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. prgtoken The Land and Water Conservation Fund is our Nation's most successful conservation program and is extremely popular with the American people. Yet Congress has consistently underfunded it and failed to make it permanent. I have been fighting for years for full funding and permanent reauthorization. The public lands package does just that. This was a law championed by my father in 1965 while he was Secretary of the Interior. I have been proud to carry the torch and work to make the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanent. In New Mexico prgtoken alone, over 1,200 local projects have been supported by the LWCF since it began in 1965. prgtoken Over the last 2 years, the President has proposed essentially eliminating the LWCF, but in a major step forward, the Senate package permanently reauthorizes the program and provides annual funding with at least $900 million--all from offshore oil and gas leases and other revenue streams that don't come from taxpayer dollars. Giving the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanent authorization is a monumental win for our entire Nation. I hope that soon we can secure robust mandatory funding as well. Until then, I will continue to fight, along with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to ensure that this program receives significant funding each year in the appropriations process. prgtoken The lands package includes my Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act, cosponsored by Senator Heinrich. Senator Heinrich and I have been fighting to protect this rugged, beautiful part of southern New Mexico for years. In 2014, President used our legislation as the basis for his Executive order to create the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. prgtoken The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks area has contained protected wilderness study areas since the 1980s and 1990s. It is high time to make these study areas permanent wilderness. Senator Heinrich and I have wor
HONORING CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA FOR THEIR WORK FIGHTING SICKLE CELL ANEMIA DISEASE
David Scott (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2019-2-6

. Madam , I rise today to honor Children's Healthcare of Atlanta for their extraordinary work in fighting sickle cell anemia disease, and providing comprehensive medical care for thousands of our children in Georgia. prgtoken Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is the home of this Nation's largest pediatric sickle cell disease program with more than 1,800 children and teens. Georgia is home to over 8,000 people who have sickle cell disease, one of the Nation's most impacted populations. prgtoken On this Thursday, February 7, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta will be hosting a briefing at 1 p.m. right here in the Capitol in room HVC- 201 to discuss innovations in sickle cell disease treatment. prgtoken Madam , more than 100,000 Americans have and suffer from sickle cell disease. It is a painful, genetic blood disorder that prevents the children from getting air. It is debilitating. prgtoken Madam , I ask that we stand proudly and support the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
CELEBRATION AND RECOGNITION OF NILDA L. WILSON
Adriano Espaillat (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-2-6

. Madam , Nilda L. Wilson has been a longtime leader in the Dominican community. She was among the original co- founders of many non-profit charities including the Dominican Medical Society Women's Chapter, Dominicanos Pro-Ayuda A La Ninez, and many more philanthropic activities supporting the community. prgtoken Nilda L. Wilson with her husband Dr. James A. Wilson, have for over 40 years managed and operated one of the earliest Dominican medical practices in Washington Heights in New York's 13th Congressional District. prgtoken They were among the first Dominican medical practices in Northern Manhattan first established in 1966 on the corner of 178th St. & Audubon Ave. and remained in the same location serving the Dominican community through their retirement in 2006. prgtoken Nilda L. Wilson has always felt a strong and enduring responsibility to care for those in need of health care especially in Washington Heights and Northern Manhattan. Ms. Wilson and Dr. Wilson have maintained and strengthened their ties to the Dominican Republic helping sponsor medical students and trainees coming to the United States. prgtoken Nilda L. Wilson and her remarkable family have reached extraordinary professional success and continue to give back to the Dominican- American community.
PASS AN AGENDA THAT IS FOR THE PEOPLE
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-2-6

. Madam , last night, the President came to the floor here and highlighted important issues like the need to fix our aging infrastructure and lower the cost of prescription drugs. prgtoken These are issues that I know I and many of my colleagues are ready to work with the President on. However, the President does have some history of saying things and then not necessarily following through. prgtoken In fact, last State of the Union, the President promised a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, but the next month, released an inadequate proposal that put nearly all the burden on States and local governments to fund those necessary repairs. prgtoken In October of 2016, then-candidate promised in Michigan that not one plant would close on his watch. But this year we saw General Motors slash 14,000 jobs in North America, including in my district. And while the President has promised to protect public health, we have seen his own administration refuse to act on important drinking water and health protections. prgtoken Throughout his calls to fix the broken immigration system, he continues to govern by tweet, chant, and manufactured crises. The President has to rise for the occasion. We have an agenda that is for the people, and I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle to enact it.
ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2019-2-6

. Madam , I rise in support of H.R. 66. This bill establishes a Route 66 Centennial Commission to develop and plan a fitting celebration of the 100th anniversary of America's Mother Road, as it is called. prgtoken U.S. Route 66 was established November 11, 1926. The 2,448-mile highway originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, and passed through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in between. prgtoken A precursor of the interstate system, this route was born out of the need for greater connectivity in our Nation after the rise of automobile ownership. Disparate segments of roads and paths were woven into a cohesive highway that offered Americans unparalleled ease of mobility. prgtoken The historic route has carried Americans of all stripes, from migrants during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s to curious road trippers following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac. prgtoken While Route 66 became largely obsolete after completion of the interstate system, it holds a unique place in our Nation's surface transportation history. The story of Route 66 serves as an important reminder as to why our interconnected system of roads is vital and why we can never devolve to a piecemeal approach to surface transportation policy. prgtoken This bipartisan bill is led by Representative Davis, the ranking member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, and has bipartisan cosponsorship among Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members, including Representatives Napolitano and Lipinski, and I am proud to be a cosponsor as well. I support H.R. 66 and urge my colleagues join me in passing this legislation. prgtoken Madam , .
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
Lois Frankel (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-2-6

I thank Representative Perry for yielding. I have to say it was quite difficult to listen to you, not because you are not articulate, but these stories are horrific. I just thank you on a bipartisan basis that we can address this horrible, horrible situation. prgtoken I am rising here today and I am joining, of course, Representative Perry on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. I say that every girl, no matter where she is born, has a right to live free of violence. prgtoken When women and girls are empowered, when they are provided access to quality healthcare and education, communities thrive. In fact, the best predictor of a country's peacefulness is how well its women are treated. prgtoken Uplifting the value of women around the world is an American value that must continue. And still, there are horrific norms and cultural practices, like female genital mutilation, or we call it FGM for short, and it is holding back women from reaching their full potential. prgtoken Representative Perry, I actually met a victim of this very, very cruel act last year. She came to a panel discussion. Her name was Jaha, a young woman from Gambia. She told us that when she was actually born, when she was 1 week old, she was mutilated, and that at age 15, she was married off. She told us this is very common. It is happening to something like 200 million women today. prgtoken Now, Jaha, she is a champion, because she broke away from her marriage and she became a champion advocate for her daughter. She became an advocate. Through her advocacy, FGM is now banned in Gambia. So she has shown us that it can be done. prgtoken 200 million girls and women today have been cut, leaving them with irreversible emotional and physical damage which can lead to infection, severe bleeding, complication in childbirth and increased risk of newborn death. prgtoken It is horrific, it is inhumane, and it is a gross violation of human rights. And it is not just tied to one religion or culture; it could happen anywhere. It is unbelievable to say that it still happens in the United States of America, as you so aptly pointed out. prgtoken I am very happy to be here with you. In fact, I am very proud to be here with you to just send a clear message that FGM is unacceptable. It must stop. And I am so pleased to join you in all your efforts, our joint efforts to stop this practice. prgtoken And I will add something: In the United States, there is more that we can do in terms of resources. At least $15 million is needed, annually, to continue our efforts. I would like to see us put into law the U.S. strategies to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, globally, and to empower adolescent girls, recognizing that FGM is a gender-based violence. prgtoken As importantly, we must restore our funding to the U.N. Population Fund, which is providing care to 2 million survivors around the world. It is time we recommit to ensuring th
REVIVING AMERICA'S SCENIC BYWAYS ACT OF 2019
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-2-6

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I am particularly delighted to be here in support of this legislation with the pro tempore on the rostrum, who understands the value of scenic byways in our beautiful country. prgtoken I rise today in strong support of this bipartisan legislation, Reviving America's Scenic Byways Act. prgtoken The National Scenic Byways Program was established by Congress in 1991 in order to recognize, preserve, and enhance designated roadways throughout the United States. Since that time, 150 roads across the country have received the scenic byway designation. However, no new designations have been made since 2009. prgtoken Under this program, the Secretary of Transportation designates certain roads as all-American roads or national scenic byways based on one or more archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, or scenic qualities that capture the unique characteristics of a region. prgtoken The National Scenic Byways Program is a national asset that showcases our Nation's natural grandeur, our history, and our culture, as well as being a very significant economic driver of tourism. It has been identified by Brand USA, the organization created by Congress to promote travel to the United States, as a core element in promoting international visitation to the United States and creating tourism- related jobs. prgtoken According to the National Scenic Byway Foundation, State departments of transportation report approximately 60 State scenic byways, and nearly 30 States are interested and prepared to seek designation as a national scenic byway or an all-American road. prgtoken For example, in my own State, roadways such as Paradise Avenue on Aquidneck Island in Newport and Route 102 are really excellent candidates for designation and all the benefits that will follow. prgtoken This bill will allow those States to once again apply for scenic byway designations and directs the Department of Transportation to announce new designations within 1 year of requesting nominations. prgtoken I thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for their work. I urge passage of this legislation, and conclude by, again, thanking the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), who is the lead on this legislation, for his partnership, his passion about this issue, his presence here today, and his words in support of the legislation.