mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SAVE OUR SEAS ACT OF 2017--Continued
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-12-18

I rise in strong support of the FIRST STEP Act, which I have cosponsored. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senators Grassley and Durbin, includes positive prison reforms that the House passed by a 360 to 59 vote. The Senate has now combined the House legislation with sentencing reform provisions that passed out of the Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan basis. prgtoken Senators on both sides of the aisle agree that our criminal justice system is broken and badly needs repair. prgtoken In my own State of Maryland, we passed major criminal justice reform legislation on a bipartisan basis in 2016, which is known as the Justice Reinvestment Act. The Justice Reinvestment Act seeks to reduce Maryland's prison population and use the savings to provide for more effective treatment to offenders before, during, and after incarceration. This is intended to reduce the likelihood of reoffending, as well as to benefit victims and families and reduce costs to taxpayers. prgtoken This fall, I visited the headquarters of the Baltimore Ravens in Owings Mills, MD, in Baltimore County. I am a Baltimore resident and live in Baltimore County and, of course, am a proud Ravens fan, but on that day, I had come to discuss criminal justice reform. I wanted to hear directly from the Ravens players about their insights into the criminal justice system, and they shared their stories involving their friends and family with me. prgtoken So I am pleased that several Ravens players and team executives wrote a letter on November 26 to Senator McConnell asking him to bring this critical legislation to the floor. The letter reads: ``The undersigned players and executives of the Baltimore Ravens write to voice our support for the First Step Act, a bill which has the potential to bring transformative and much needed change to our criminal justice system. Criminal justice is an issue that deeply affects our community in Baltimore, as well as the nation as a whole. Not only will this legislation strengthen our nation's criminal justice system, but it enjoys the backing of an incredibly diverse group of supporters.'' prgtoken Indeed, this legislation is endorsed by both law enforcement and civil rights groups. Law enforcement groups endorsing this legislation include the Fraternal Order of Police, the National District Attorneys Association, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Civil rights groups endorsing this legislation include the ACLU. President has endorsed this legislation, which has a growing number of bipartisan Senate cosponsors. prgtoken The legislation includes key sentencing reform provisions added by the Senate to the House-passed measure. First, it expands the so-called safety valve, which allows judges to sentence below the mandatory minimum for qualified low-level nonviolent drug offenders who cooperate with the government. Second, it makes retroactive the application of t
SOMEONE PLEASE WAKE ME UP
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-12-19

I will just take a minute of your time to follow up on what Congressman Garrett just said. It seems to me, in my lifetime--I am not an expert on foreign affairs--there are good things the United States has done, and bad things. But the worst things are, when people who are counting on us, people who we set up and relied on us, we decide to leave them to whatever will happen. prgtoken I think, in particular, a much bigger thing is when we stopped funding people in Vietnam. Obviously, during the administration leaving Iraq, we left all sorts of people who were our friends, and created a huge vacuum. I am just very afraid today, and I would encourage President to reconsider the decision to withdraw what troops we do have in the Syrian area because we have a lot of allies who felt they could count on the United States, whom I am afraid now will be left to whatever other forces in the region--who are not friendly to Western values--left to whatever they want to do with them. And I hope that is being taken into account right now.
RECOGNIZING THE EAST MISSISSIPPI LIONS, NJCAA CHAMPS
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-12-19

I rise for a long overdue floor speech to recognize a school in my home State of Mississippi that continues to win national football championships, five, in fact, over the past 10 years. prgtoken I can assure my friends from Alabama that I am not trying to steal the thunder from the Crimson Tide. I am here to recognize the undefeated East Mississippi Community College Lions, who have become their own football dynasty and are the reigning National Junior College Athletic Association champs. NJCAA is commonly known as JUCO. prgtoken What makes the East Mississippi Community College football program special is the grit and determination that fuels its success. Some of these players are truly playing for their lives. They are the comeback kids, rising above adversity to get back into the game. The stories of these players are so inspirational that they won over the hearts of Americans in the Netflix documentary series, ``Last Chance U.'' prgtoken In the first two seasons of that program, viewers had a prime spot in the bleachers to watch East Mississippi's 2015 and 2016 football seasons. I will not reveal any spoilers, but the Lions have undeniable star power. prgtoken One of the compelling themes throughout the show is the belief in second chances. Past misbehavior or poor grades do not define these players or their futures. They have legions of fans cheering for their success and for the next touchdown. They have introduced to the Nation, if not the world, the small Mississippi town of Scooba, population 700. According to the show's trailer, ``One of football's best recruiting grounds is a place you've never heard of,'' but now the secret is out. prgtoken I would like to congratulate the East Mississippi Lions as this year's JUCO champions and recognize the leadership of the head coach, Buddy Stephens, who only this afternoon was named National Coach of the Year for junior college football. prgtoken I also want to congratulate East Mississippi's six All-Americans this year, which was the most for any school except Iowa Western, which tied with them. These All-Americans include first team All-American wide receiver Dontario Drummond and second team running back Deon McIntosh, offensive lineman LaQuinston Sharp, and defensive lineman Everitt Cunningham. Honorable mentions went to quarterback Messiah deWeaver and return specialist DJ Clayton. There have been 32 All-Americans during Coach Stephens' 11-season tenure with the Lions. prgtoken Many East Mississippi players go on to 4-year universities and even pro football teams. LaGarrette Blount, running back for the Detroit Lions and a three-time Super Bowl champion, was a former East Mississippi Lion, and so was defensive back C.J. Reavis, who plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Other alumni currently playing in the NFL are defensive lineman Jarran Reed for the Seattle Seahawks, Za'Darius Smith for the Baltimore Ravens, Denico Autry for the Indianapolis
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-12-19

on May 14, 2018, the Supreme Court in Murphy v. NCAA, 138 S. Ct. 1461, 2018, struck down the Federal prohibition of State-authorized sports wagering schemes. I was one of four original authors of that prohibition, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, Public Law 102-559; 106 Stat. 4227, which found that ``sports gambling conducted pursuant to State law threatens the integrity and character of, and public confidence in, professional and amateur sports, instills inappropriate values in the Nation's youth, misappropriates the goodwill and popularity of professional and amateur sports organizations, and dilutes and tarnishes the service marks of such organizations.'' prgtoken Today, I joined with Senator Chuck Schumer to introduce the Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act of 2018, a comprehensive legislative response to the Murphy decision. This legislation is the product of nearly one year of discussions with stakeholders on all sides of the issue, the gaming industry, professional and amateur sports leagues, consumer advocates, data providers, law enforcement, and many others. prgtoken I would urge my soon-to-be former colleagues and other Members of Congress, should they choose to take up this issue, to use the bill I have introduced today as a starting point for their work, but recognize that there is much work to be done, and I would anticipate that any final legislation might look very different from the bill that was introduced today. For example, the degree to which the Department of Justice or other Federal agencies need to be involved in overseeing state sports wagering regimes, the appropriate level of control that sports organizations should have over sports wagering, and the basis for requiring the use of so-called official league data continue to be open questions in my mind. I do not necessarily believe that those and other provisions introduced in the bill today reflect a final decision regarding the appropriate policy. But these provisions do flag many of the difficult issues to be considered as part of the sports wagering discussion. I would urge my colleagues not to be discouraged by the challenges and competing interests, and I look forward to being supportive of future congressional efforts to engage on this issue.
HONORING THE LIFE OF FREDI SIMPSON
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2018-12-19

I rise today to honor the life, service, and spirit of my friend, Fredi Simpson. Fredi was well known and admired in central Washington. She was filled with passion and dedicated her time to improving her community and lending a helping hand to whomever was in need. She was a dear friend of mine, and I will miss her very much. prgtoken Dedicated to the conservative cause, Fredi's engagement in politics was inspiring to everyone around her. She served as a mentor to young people and encouraged them to get involved at the local, State, and national levels. prgtoken As national committeewoman, she represented Washington State with infectious enthusiasm and deep integrity. She traveled across our great State and the entire country leaving a positive impression on everyone she met. prgtoken So, today, I reflect on my own joyful memories with Fredi, and I find peace in knowing she is at rest and reunited with God. prgtoken My prayers go out for her husband Bruce, her son Kane, and all her loved ones, and I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating her wonderful life. prgtoken Fredi, we will miss you.
REAUTHORIZE THE NEW JERSEY COASTAL HERITAGE TRAIL ROUTE
Frank A. LoBiondo (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2018-12-19

from California for the kind words and for his service to our country, and I say ditto about an honor to serve with him and everyone else in this body. prgtoken I rise today to urge passage of H.R. 6602, to reauthorize the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. This was something that I worked on with the late Senator Frank Lautenberg a number of years ago. prgtoken Since its inception in 1988, the Coastal Heritage Trail has been a major success throughout my district, as well as the entire State. prgtoken Now, although there are 12 Members of Congress from the State of New Jersey, the Second Congressional District, which I have had the honor of representing, is about 40 percent of the State geographically, so this trail spans nearly 300 miles, covering much of New Jersey's coastline. It was designed to provide an educational and enjoyable understanding of the natural, maritime, and cultural sites of our coast, which, I must admit, are many. prgtoken The Coastal Heritage Trail is divided into five regions linked by the common heritage of life on the Jersey shore, as well as the Raritan and Delaware Bays. prgtoken Finally, this trail has been a great example of the work that can be done through collaboration with public and private partnerships, and I think the success of the trail is really because of these collaborations and the different, various groups that have come together to understand how working together can really make a difference. prgtoken Through partnership with the National Park Service, Congress, and local organizations, the Coastal Heritage Trail has received support and has been beautifully maintained until authorization recently lapsed. With this lapse of authorization, the public sector groups and the private sector prgtoken groups were not able to maintain the trail, which they had most of the resource to take care of this. So it has been a big problem with the lapse. prgtoken , it is time to redesignate this trail so it can be enjoyed by countless residents and visitors to New Jersey for many years to come. I urge passage of H.R. 6602. s for considering this, and I very much appreciate the opportunity to move this bill.
CONGRATULATING ALIQUIPPA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM
Keith J. Rothfus (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-12-19

it was a fitting end to an outstanding season for the Aliquippa High School football team. They were victorious in 14 of their 15 games. prgtoken The Quips, led by their new head coach and former quarterback, Mike Warfield, fought their way to a resounding victory as they became Class 3A State football champions. The 35-0 win against Middletown High School resulted in the Quips' third PIAA State championship. prgtoken The Aliquippa football team has been a perennial contender for State football titles. This season, a powerhouse offense outscored teams by more than 700 points, and a formidable defense shut out 7 of their 15 opponents. prgtoken The Quips team also won the WPIAL championship, and Coach Warfield became only the third coach in WPIAL history to win a State championship in his first year. prgtoken Congratulations to Aliquippa High School, Coach Warfield, the coaching staff, and the team for their outstanding achievement. They have made western Pennsylvania proud.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. RES. 734
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-12-19

reserving the right to object, whether you support Care or oppose it--and I clearly oppose it--it remains the law. The decision in the Texas case is being appealed, and I expect it will eventually end up before the Supreme Court. prgtoken Regardless of what happens in this legal process, our commitment has always been to protect people with preexisting conditions. As a doctor and husband of a breast cancer survivor who has had three operations and who has been through chemotherapy twice, I know the importance of making sure that patients can get access to quality healthcare at an affordable cost. Since Care passed, this has not happened for many families I speak to in Wyoming. They keep telling me that Care has made their insurance unaffordable, whether it is premiums, copays--all of it. It has made it more difficult to get the care they need. prgtoken Simply put, they know Care has failed because they personally have experienced the law's sky-high premiums and few choices. prgtoken It has taken Washington a little longer to figure this out. Now they are clamoring for a federally mandated, single-payer system. They want a healthcare system dominated and controlled by Washington. prgtoken As a doctor, my focus is on making healthcare better for patients, period. It shouldn't take a judge to force us to get it done. We need to reform healthcare to give American families better care at a lower cost, which Care failed to deliver. prgtoken The question is whether Washington are interested in solving problems or playing politics. I am ready to work. prgtoken Therefore, , I object.
FAREWELL TO CONGRESS
Carlos Curbelo (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-12-19

I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Costello, for his kind words, and I also want to commend him for his great service to our country. The people of Philadelphia's suburbs have been blessed to have been represented over the last 4 years by a thoughtful, honest, decent man, someone whom I worked with very closely on issues like the environment, like immigration, the difficult issues, the controversial issues, the issues where legislators are required to take risks if they are going to have a positive impact. prgtoken My final message is just extreme gratitude to this wonderful institution, to my community for this privilege, this opportunity. To my parents, Teresita and Carlos Curbelo, when they arrived in this country with nothing except the desire to be free and to work and contribute, I don't think they could have ever imagined that their son would be able to serve in this fine institution. Only in this wonderful country can we tell stories like that. Only in this wonderful country do these miracles happen. prgtoken I also want to thank my wife and my two daughters--Cecilia, my wife, and Sylvie and Carolina, my daughters--because public service is difficult, especially on young families, and my wife and my daughters have sacrificed a lot. Of course, we have done it with the support of our family, my in-laws, my parents, my friends, and everyone. prgtoken Again, to all my colleagues, I wish you the best. I will be rooting for you. Please continue trying to help strengthen this country, continue trying to do the right thing every day and serve with a servant's heart. prgtoken , .
RECOGNIZING THE STORY OF THE FORCE FAMILY
Claudia Tenney (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-12-19

I rise today to recognize the story of dear friends of mine, Robert and Donna Force, who are deeply committed to carrying on the tradition of family farming. prgtoken Robert served honorably as a member of the 106th Rescue Wing, a unit of the Army National Guard. In 1986, Robert and Donna Force purchased 96 acres of land in Gilbertsville, New York. It is where they would spend the next 26 years building their farm and growing their family. prgtoken All told, by 2010, the family had expanded to 111 acres of land in the beautiful Catskill region of upstate New York. The family viewed the farm as their retreat, a place of many happy memories. They cleared the land to build a barn, renovated their farmhouse, and planted new trees across the landscape. prgtoken Sadly, in 2014, the Forces were forced off their land due to an accounting error in their local county. The county failed to cooperate with them, instead putting their lovely farm up for sale and auction. prgtoken Mr. Force, as a veteran, also cared for his wife, Donna, who was suffering grave, life-threatening medical problems through this and up until today. The Force family believes this is part of a larger plan to push families off their property, auctioning land to the highest bidder. prgtoken Since that day, the Forces have continued to fight to save their farm, their prgtoken property, and their family legacy. For more information, see ``Save the Force Farm'' on Facebook and social media. prgtoken Thank you so much to the Forces and to Mr. Force for his honorable service to our Nation.
NEW FARM BILL HELPS AMERICA'S FOOD PANTRIES
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-12-19

during the holiday season, many people step up to help their neighbors in need. Americans are generous and charitable with their time and energy through both monetary donations and volunteer opportunities. prgtoken Food pantries play an important role all year long in communities across America. In 2017, an estimated 15 million households in the United States were food insecure, which means they lack consistent access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. prgtoken While this number has decreased from previous years, there is much work yet to be done. That is why, as chairman of the Nutrition Subcommittee on the Agriculture Committee, I advocated for an increase in TEFAP dollars in the 2018 farm bill. prgtoken TEFAP stands for The Emergency Food Assistance Program. Along with donations, TEFAP funding is the cornerstone of our food banks. prgtoken I am pleased that we were able to increase funding for this important lifeline for so many. Food banks are meeting the needs for low-income Americans, the working poor, and those who have fallen on hard times. We must always work towards the ultimate goal of ending hunger in America.
TRIBUTE TO DAVID PETTI
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-12-19

with my colleagues Senator James E. Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, I congratulate Dr. David Petti on his retirement from the Idaho National Laboratory, INL. Dave has had a long, distinguished career as an innovative nuclear engineer and leader at INL, where he has made a significant impact in his field. prgtoken Presently, Dave is a Laboratory Fellow and Division Director for Nuclear Fuels and Materials. He is also a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society and the Senior Editor for the Journal of Nuclear Materials and an Editorial Member for Nuclear Engineering and Design. prgtoken During his tenure, Dave led a number of projects at INL, including overseeing all research and development for the Very High Temperature Reactor Technology Development Project, known previously as the Next Generation Nuclear Plant. Dave is an internationally recognized expert in the development of advanced reactor fuels and is the recipient of 19 awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award for an INL Publisher, 2016, the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Management Excellence Award, 2014, and the American Nuclear Society Materials Science and Technology Special Achievement Award for leadership in development of nuclear fuels for high temperature gas-cooled reactors, 2009. prgtoken A highly published and well-respected expert in his field, Dave has authored or coauthored more than 100 peer reviewed journal articles, contributed more than 50 papers to conferences, and authored 2 book chapters. He holds a patent for method for the production of 99mTc compositions from 99Mo containing materials, 1998. Most recently, Dave coauthored the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, report ``The Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World''. This influential study has had great impact on the international nuclear community, and he has presented the findings of the report in Washington, DC, London, Paris, Tokyo, and other places around the world. Dave holds a Ph.D an M.S and a B.S. in nuclear engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. prgtoken Dave has left a mark in his field and in Idaho during his 32 years at INL. We congratulate him on his many accomplishments and wish Dave and his wife, Becky, all the best as they enjoy retirement.
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT ACT
Bob Gibbs (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-12-19

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I want to, again, thank my colleague from California, Mrs. Napolitano, for all her help on the other side of the aisle to make this a very bipartisan bill. It is a very commonsense bill. prgtoken The key to this that I think needs to be mentioned and emphasized is it gives our local communities flexibility and also encourages all levels of government to work together--the Federal EPA, the State EPA, and the local municipalities--to solve the problems they have at the ground level. prgtoken Also in this bill, there is a provision that requires that the new position, the EPA ombudsman, in at least 2 years report back to Congress, the T&I Committee, about what happened with the integrated planning, the specific projects, and review that and see if it needs to be tweaked or not. We will see how it works. prgtoken It is very important, working together. You see communities that have been under court orders, court decrees, and they can't get to where they need to get to, and this bill gives them that flexibility and that common sense. prgtoken Everybody wants to do the right thing, and this will help them do that and to be working with the EPA in a partnership. prgtoken , in closing, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7279, and .