mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO REVEREND DR. MARTHA R. OVERALL
José E. Serrano (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-1-7

. Madam , it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Reverend Martha R. Overall, known to all as Mother Martha. As she retires from her position as Priest In Charge of St. Ann's Episcopal Church in my district, I want to take a moment to honor her for her decades of compassionate service and tireless work to improve the lives of our Bronx residents. prgtoken Rev. Overall was born in 1947. She received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from Harvard University, a J.D. from New York University, and was admitted to the Bar in 1976. She practiced law with prominent trial attorney, Louis Nizer, for several years. She retired prgtoken from her legal career in the mid-eighties to attend Union Theological Seminary and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1991. prgtoken Rev. Overall began serving as the Priest of St. Ann's Episcopal Church in 1993. Built in 1841, the Parish is the oldest continuously used church in the Bronx and it has a storied history. During her tenure as priest, Mother Martha has expanded upon that legacy. The church holds weekly services in English and Spanish, and members of the church help serve meals to homeless seniors and families in the surrounding community. The food pantry program operates twice a week and feeds over 6,000 people a month. The church also has an after- school program to enhance skills for children and provide them healthy meals and nutritional education. Reverend Overall also provided job opportunities to young adults interested in teaching through the Children's Defense Fund Freedom School at St. Ann's Episcopal Church. Many of these programs, and Reverend Overall's work, have been featured in books and in the press. prgtoken Through all of this, Mother Martha has been a passionate advocate for our community, from children to seniors. She has worked every day to improve our borough, and the lives of those who live here. Her compassion and dedication have positively affected the lives of thousands of people. prgtoken The Bronx is a better place because of the work Rev. Overall has done over the years. Madam , I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring The Reverend Dr. Martha R. Overall for her extraordinary work and her lasting legacy.
TIT-FOR-TAT IS NOT A POLICY
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2020-1-7

the House cannot sit still and allow to become an imperial President, answerable to no one. prgtoken Without consultation with House leadership or even leaders in the Senate, ordered the killing of a major military leader, Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. prgtoken Like countless officials worldwide, Soleimani was a bad actor whose forces were responsible for the deaths of Americans. However, Soleimani was not killed on the battlefield but was targeted by President in Baghdad. may have been seeking revenge for the storming and damaging of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, the largest, most fortified embassy in the world. prgtoken Tit-for-tat is not a policy. It is a childish and dangerous response that could lead to all-out hostilities. prgtoken The U.S. lacks credibility to start diplomatic efforts. I hope that our allies will intervene as emissaries before it is too late.
PRAISING UNSUNG HEROES OF JERSEY CITY SHOOTING
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-1-7

I rise today to praise the unsung heroes of the terrible shooting in Jersey City, New Jersey, last month. prgtoken When tragedy strikes a community, we all hear about the criminals who committed the horrible acts. Only now and then do we hear about the heroes who risked their lives to save others. prgtoken In Jersey City, it was heroes like Sergeant Majorie Jordan. She walked into the line of fire to pull a wounded police officer to safety. prgtoken Heroes like Anayah Bey; she cared for one of the shooting victims until help arrived. prgtoken These are two of the many stories of individual bravery, from officers and civilians alike, that happen during national tragedies like Jersey City. These unsung heroes represent the best of America during the worst of times, and they deserve our thanks and praise. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing these brave and honorable citizens and their care for their fellow man.
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-1-7

3\1/2\ years or so ago, I live in Cleveland, and I was in my State watching the Presidential campaign. I heard Candidate repeatedly talking about renegotiating NAFTA or getting rid of the North America Free Trade Agreement. While I did not support his candidacy and have generally disagreed with most of what he has said and done, it was a bit of music to my ears to hear Candidate talk about renegotiating or getting rid of NAFTA. prgtoken I have voted, in my time in the Senate and before this, every single trade agreement starting with the North America Free Trade Agreement of two-plus decades ago, I have voted no in these trade agreements. I never voted for a trade agreement because, frankly, every trade agreement coming in front of the House or Senate has been a corporate trade agreement. It has been written by corporate lobbyists to serve corporate executives to serve their biggest stockholders. That is what these trade agreements are about. In every case, it was an attack on the middle class. In every case, it undermined worker protections. It depressed wages. It meant loss of jobs. prgtoken I know what these corporate trade agreements did to my hometown of Mansfield. I know what it did in Mansfield, OH. I know what they have done to my adoptive city of Cleveland, OH, and I know what they have done to the entire industrial Midwest--well beyond that, too, in places like Arizona and elsewhere. I have seen what these corporate trade deals do. prgtoken So Candidate is elected President. He then says he is going to do away, back out, or renegotiate NAFTA. I looked at that with optimism. I talked to the U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Lighthizer, a number of times. I spoke with the President about it. I offered my assistance, and then, lo and behold, about a year ago, the President came out with a renegotiated NAFTA. It was the same old, same old. It was another corporate trade agreement that served his corporate interests, that served the drug companies, and that served those companies that are looking for cheap labor across the Rio Grande River. prgtoken Under the President's new NAFTA--he called it USMCA--United States- Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement--under the President's new NAFTA, it was the same corporate template, the same corporate trade agreement that helps corporate investors, that undermines workers, that gives incentives to companies to shut down production in Zanesville, in Gallipolis, in Marietta, in Cleveland, in Lima, in Toledo, and in Bryan and move their jobs to Mexico. prgtoken So what did we do? Instead, initially, I continued to talk to the U.S. Trade Representative, as did some of my colleagues, knowing this first NAFTA draft was unacceptable and was not nearly what the President said he would do for workers. In fact, it was more than that. It was another betrayal of workers. This same President has betrayed low-income workers by refusing to raise the
Foreign Policy (Executive Calendar)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-1-7

for over 3 years now, everyday Americans, Members of this body, our diplomatic corps, and our allies and adversaries alike have wondered whether there is any sort of coherent strategy guiding the national security and foreign policy of President . If the events of recent days are any indication, the answer is a resounding no. prgtoken The administration has no vision for how we might build a world that is more stable, peaceful, and prosperous for future generations. To be sure, the administration has some serious reports outlining global challenges and nicely drafted statements proclaiming their ``America First'' strategy. In practice, the President's erratic leadership and failure to invest in the very institutions we need to promote American national security have sowed chaos and increasingly left America alone. Our Nation has faced great challenges before. Yet, having served nearly three decades in Congress, I cannot recall a time when so many of them were of our own making and as predictable as they were avoidable. prgtoken Simply put, President 's foreign policy, like President himself, is completely shortsighted, self-interested, and transactional. prgtoken The President's abandonment of our core values has already eroded America's standing abroad. Near the end of the last administration, the Gallup organization found that 48 percent of respondents in more than 100 countries worldwide had confidence in the United States. Today, it has gone from 48 percent to--it hovers around 31 percent. Furthermore, more people around the world likely trust--according to the poll--China or Russia rather than the United States. prgtoken I know that national security is not a popularity contest, but the erosion of America's standing in the world matters because it makes it less safe for Americans. It undermines our diplomacy. It hinders economic opportunity. It undercuts our ability to promote our values, betraying our centuries-long vision of our Nation as a city on a hill. prgtoken Our Nation was founded on noble ideals. It is those ideals more than our unrivaled economic strength and more than our unparalleled military might that have rallied the world to our side--from the defeat of fascism in Europe, to the rise of international institutions and security partnerships, and to the fall of the Berlin Wall and beyond. prgtoken President has squandered this precious resource of our values-- our ``soft power''--through actions that betray our ideals, abandon our allies, and appease our enemies. Far from America First, this administration is leaving America isolated, corrupted, and behind. We see it again and again--from Ukraine, to Syria, to Iran and beyond. prgtoken Consider Russia. Even as our intelligence community and bipartisan congressional reports point to ``incontrovertible'' proof of Russia's interference in our 2016 elections and plans to do so this year in 2020
REMEMBERING LISA POWERS COOPER
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2020-1-7

. Madam , I rise today to pay a heartfelt tribute to Lisa Powers Cooper, wife of my good friend and former Tennessee State Senator Jerry Cooper, who died last Friday at her home in McMinnville. As chief of the Consumer Services Division of the Tennessee Public Utilities Commission since 2009, Lisa Cooper showed her dedication to public service. As a law student over seven years, she showed her perseverance, graduating from the Nashville School of Law in 2009 while working full time. But as the inseparable wife of Jerry, she showed the kind of love and support that inspired all of us who knew them. Their marriage was bigger than the sum of its parts and showed that two really can become one. As a valued friend, Lisa was always supportive of me when I served in the state Senate and since I have been in Congress. She often offered wise counsel over the phone, but also sent her love and prayers. A graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University, Lisa worked in government relations before going into state government, all while raising a family and doting on her grandchildren. I want to express my deep condolences to Jerry; Lisa's parents, Larry Powers, Sr. and Linda Pritchett; her daughter Holly and her husband Ward art of Nashville; stepdaughters and their spouses Elisa and Barry Luna, Sally and Mike Pack and Faith and Chase McGee; her grandchildren; her extended family and her many, many dear friends and colleagues. She lived a good, virtuous and remarkable life and will be missed.
Iran (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-1-7

now, in the aftermath of the U.S. military operation that took out Iranian General Soleimani, we need to be asking the right questions and remain clear-eyed about what might happen next. prgtoken I have grown increasingly concerned about the strike against Soleimani and what it might mean for the safety of American troops in the region and the future of America's involvement in the Middle East. The President has promised that he would not drag the American people into another endless war in the Middle East. The President's actions, however, have seemingly increased the risk that we could be dragged into exactly such a war. prgtoken Unfortunately, this contradiction is far too typical of how the President has conducted foreign policy over the last 3 years. The President's decision making has been erratic, and it has been impulsive, without regard to the long-term consequences of America's actions abroad. He prefers reality show diplomacy and photo ops with foreign leaders to substantive progress. As a result, the President's foreign policy has been dangerously incompetent. prgtoken When you look at nearly every hotspot around the globe, he has made prgtoken the situation worse, not better. North Korea--3 years after failed ``negotiations,'' North Korea remains belligerent, defiant, and intent on developing ICBMs. Syria--after years of sacrifice and struggle against ISIS, one impulsive decision to withdraw our troops risks undoing all our progress. Russia--every meeting the President holds with Putin always seems to result in Putin's coming out ahead. We are now at risk of the situation with Iran heading for a similar deterioration. prgtoken The President's foreign policy actions so far in North Korea, in Syria, in Russia, and just about everywhere else can be described in two words: ``erratic'' and ``impulsive.'' I am worried that a few months from now his Iran policy will be described in exactly the same way. prgtoken As the President's circle of advisers has gotten smaller and more insular and as nearly all of the dissident voices have been forced out of the administration, there seems to be no one left to tell the President no. At times like this, skeptical voices need to ask the right questions, and Congress--Congress must provide a check on the President and assert our constitutional role in matters of war and peace. prgtoken In my view, President does not--does not--have authority for a war with Iran. There are several important pieces of legislation by both Senators Kaine and Sanders to limit further escalation with Iran and assert Congress's prerogative on these matters. Both should receive votes in the Senate. prgtoken I plan to ask pointed questions of this administration at a briefing for the Gang of 8 later this afternoon. We need answers to some crucial questions, and there are many. Here are the two that are most on Americans' minds: What are Iran's most probable responses to
INTRODUCTION OF THE DORIS MILLER MEDAL OF HONOR ACT OF 2020
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-1-7

. Madam , I rise today to introduce a bill titled the Doris Miller Medal of Honor Act of 2020. This bill would waive the statute of limitations to upgrade Doris Miller's Navy Cross to a Medal of Honor--an upgrade that is long overdue and exceedingly appropriate. prgtoken On December 7, 1941, we experienced one of the most calamitous territorial attacks in our nation's history at Pearl Harbor. On this day, the dedication and courage of many of our service members were tried and proven true--one of which whose story I would like to tell. prgtoken Doris Miller was born on October 12, 1919, in my hometown of Waco, Texas, to parents Henrietta and Conery Miller. He worked on his father's farm until 1938, after which he enlisted in the Navy to earn money for his family. At the time the Navy did not allow sailors of color to enlist in combat roles, leaving Miller relegated to a service- based role as a mess attendant on the USS West Virginia--where he was stationed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. prgtoken The USS West Virginia's Action Report acknowledged Miller and his shipmates' bravery for having ``carried out every order promptly and enthusiastically, even when it meant danger to themselves. They did not attempt to abandon the bridge until ordered to do so,'' and was described as ``instrumental in hauling people along through oil and water to the quarterdeck, thereby unquestionably saving the lives of a number of people who might otherwise have been lost.'' For his actions aboard the West Virginia, Miller was awarded the Navy Cross, cited for ``distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard for his own personal safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941.'' prgtoken Miller's actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor reflect unquestionably what the Medal of Honor represents; to honor those who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty. It is also important to note that of the 15 sailors who were awarded the Medal of Honor for similar actions during the attack, not a single one was African American. prgtoken I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill to award Doris Miller the highest honor that our nation can bestow upon a service member.
PRESIDENT TRUMP UNITES FACTIONS IN IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-1-7

President has demonstrated the limitation of his reality show, go-it-alone, incoherent approach, which helped him eke out an electoral college victory while losing the popular vote by 3 million votes, but is spectacularly ill-equipped to govern, let alone respond to a crisis that he has made worse. prgtoken Maybe there was a reason that and didn't kill Soleimani when they could. Evidently, his advisors put General Soleimani's assassination on the list of options because they thought it was so outrageous they didn't think he would choose it. prgtoken If you thought abandoning our Kurdish allies who helped us fight ISIS was a heartless disaster, now has managed to unite factions in Iran against us, delaying reform for years, while pushing us to the brink of war and making it more likely that Iran develops nuclear weapons after Iran followed the nuclear agreement that the President broke. prgtoken Reportedly, Iranian missiles are launched on Americans in bases that the Iraqi Parliament said we should abandon. prgtoken Congress must act to rein in this reckless President.
IN HONOR OF JAMES PURTEE, CITY MANAGER
Julia Brownley (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-1-7

. Madam , after 31 years of public service, Palmdale City Manager James ``Jim'' Purtee announced his retirement effective at the end of 2019. Jim began his diverse career in public service with the City of Simi Valley in 1988. He spent over 27 years working for several city departments in Simi Valley and was involved in improving access to affordable house, ensuring continued economic development, and contributing to city planning efforts. In addition, Jim spent his free time doing community services. In July 2012, Jim was named as the City of Simi Valley's Assistant City Manager, where he was responsible for intergovernmental relations and served as the City's public information officer. While serving as the Assistant City Manager, Jim obtained S&P rating upgrade of AAA for the City of Simi Valley. He sponsored a $5 million citywide investment in replacing technology services and turned a $2.4 million budget deficit to a $2.4 million budget surplus in just three years. Jim took the lead on working with city departments to complete a biogas fueling project for the City's transit buses and implement a $15 million energy savings and production project. During his time in public service, Jim managed a $160 million investment portfolio and increased investment returns by 400 percent over the benchmark and earned an additional $9.7 million on City funds over a six-year period. Jim was instrumental in securing $780,000 in grant funding to invest in citywide energy efficiency programs and oversaw countless affordable house programs to benefit thousands of families. In October 2015, Jim became the City Manager for the City of Palmdale. While serving as City Manager in Palmdale, Jim amassed a number of significant achievements and successes. As City Manager for the City of Palmdale, Jim obtained an S&P rating upgrade to AA- and engaged in community partnerships, which contributed to reducing the City of Palmdale's Part 1 crime rate by over 40 percent in just 5 years. Under Jim's leadership, the City of Palmdale was named as the 44th Safest City in the US, was ranked in the top 15 percent of fiscally responsible cities in California and as a top 25 city in the U.S. to Live the American Dream. Jim implemented initiatives to assist thousands of families in obtaining safe, decent, and affordable housing. He carried out fiscal and legislative actions that provided over $100 million in positive fiscal impacts to communities and worked on cutting edge sustainability projects such as waste to energy, groundwater recharge, and acquisition/conversion of 18,000 Streetlights to LED. During his career, Jim served on multiple boards governing water, transportation, medicine, and regional planning. He served on the League of California Cities Fiscal Transparency, Revenue and Tax, and City Manager Committees. Jim supported the success of Air Force Plant 42 through maintaining strong relationships with all stakeholde
CONGRESS NEEDS TO PASS WAR POWERS RESOLUTION IMMEDIATELY
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-1-7

the American people and Members of Congress cannot ignore being on the brink of war. Nor can we ignore the fact that the Constitution indicates in Article I that it is the Congress that has the responsibility and duty to declare war. prgtoken Nor can we ignore the breaking news of 10 rockets that have just hit a base in Iraq that houses U.S. troops or the 4,000 troops that have been sent in the last 24 hours or the reckless decision made by this administration to kill a very bad man in a manner that has created havoc in the Mideast. prgtoken It is interesting to suggest that our allies are supportive when, in the last 24 hours, Israel said they had nothing to do with it. Presidents and , competent and prepared, indicated that this was not the right thing to do. prgtoken My concern is that we, as a Nation, are defenders, and we can defend ourselves. We are powerful. That is not the point. prgtoken The point is that we can do a tactic, but where is the strategy? It is crucial that we do not send young men and women into battle recklessly. prgtoken I believe the Congress needs to pass a war powers resolution, an AUMF, immediately.