mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE LIFE OF SYRACUSE POLICE CAPTAIN RICHARD WALSH
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise today to honor the life of a dear friend and former colleague, longtime Syracuse Police Captain Richard Walsh. For nearly 20 years, I served as a Federal prosecutor in central New York. During much of this time, I had the distinct privilege of working alongside Captain Walsh and witnessed firsthand his commitment to serving the city of Syracuse. prgtoken Captain Walsh joined the Syracuse Police Department in 1970, rising to the rank of captain of detectives. He led a very successful and distinguished career, retiring in 2011 after 41 years on the job. On the day of his retirement, Captain Walsh was named the grand marshal of the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade, a mark of high distinction for any central New Yorker. prgtoken In addition to his diligent efforts to keep our community safe, Captain Walsh volunteered countless hours to many community organizations, including Hunger Project, Huntington Family Center, and the Rape Crisis Center. Eternally proud of his Irish heritage and roots in Tipperary Hill, he devoted many hours to the Syracuse Irish Festival, was a founding member of the St. Patrick's Day parade committee, and served as president of the Onondaga County Ancient Order of Hibernians. prgtoken Captain Richard Walsh was the true definition of a public servant. He loved his work, he had the utmost respect of his colleagues and community, and he was relentless in his efforts to make central New York a safer and a better place. His kindness and generosity will forever be remembered. May Captain Richard Walsh's name and legacy forever be remembered in the Congressional Record. prgtoken Rest peacefully, my friend.
TRIBUTE TO RON HINDLE
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise to deliver a difficult speech. My senior communications adviser, Ron Hindle, is retiring after more than 30 years in the U.S. Senate. If you do some quick math, you will realize that Ron has been part of the Senate longer than I have. I came here in January of 1997 and quickly learned Ron would be an indispensable part of my team. Previously, he had worked for my predecessor, Al Simpson. That meant he knew Wyoming, and he knew how to communicate with Wyomingites. prgtoken I am so glad I hired Ron when I came to DC. He has written some of the best speeches I have given over the past 20 years. When Ron told me he was retiring, I went back and looked at a few of his remarks between tears. prgtoken When my longtime State director retired, Ron wrote: There is an old saying we all heard before: Good help is hard to find. Here is my experience: Good help is not only hard to find, it is also impossible to replace. prgtoken That was true about Robin, and it is equally true of Ron. In a speech to the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, Ron called the library card ``our passport to adventure.'' For a speech to the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, Ron referred to books, ``especially biographies and autobiographies--as `How To' manuals for success.'' When I spoke to my grandson's graduating fifth grade class, Ron wrote me an example comparing the Supreme Court to grandparents: ``If they say no, there is no one else to turn to.'' prgtoken I hope this sampling of Ron's work can convey why he has been an important part of my team. He has a way with words that few people have and, more importantly, he knows what I want to say and how I want to say it. Ron does more than help me with speeches. If there is a student in Wyoming who has achieved an important goal, Ron helps me with a laudatory note. When an organization like Daughters of the American Revolution has their annual convention, Ron works on the statement commemorating that event. When a Wyoming business celebrates an important anniversary, Ron has helped me congratulate that success. prgtoken My staff and I will miss Ron, not only for the help he gives us but for the person he is. He is kind, considerate, and generous. He is also willing to lend a helping hand in everything we do, from hosting our holiday cookie party to organizing trivia, and building games for our staff planning sessions. This isn't goodbye, as Ron will remain my neighbor and my friend. prgtoken Today I want to celebrate all that Ron has done for me, for my office, for Wyoming, and for America. It is appropriate for me to once again quote Ron in describing the word ``celebrate'' to Wyoming Cowboy Challenge Academy graduates, Ron wrote: Celebrating is much more than the things we do--it's the feelings we get from the great accomplishments of our life. It is the joy and happiness that comes from the heart when we have reached one of our
HONORING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
Neal P. Dunn (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise today to honor an industry that is recognized nationwide during the first full week of May, but recognized locally in my district by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce during the entire month of May: travel and tourism. prgtoken If tourism is the body, then our visitors are the blood sustaining life. From our award-winning restaurants and warm and welcoming hospitality businesses, to our entertainment events featuring world- renowned artists and the alluring charms of small town life, each and every member of the tourism industry is critical to making our communities thrive. I commend you for your work and am thankful for your contributions to making our communities an incredible place to call home.
IN RECOGNITION OF MAJOR DAVID ANDERSON
Mark Meadows (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise today to recognize Major David Anderson of the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. On behalf of the people of Western North Carolina, I would like to thank Major Anderson for his 30 years of service to Caldwell County. prgtoken Major Anderson began his law enforcement career in 1986 when he graduated from the U.S. Army Military Police School at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The following year he joined the 21st Airborne Military Police Company at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He then worked for the Lenoir Police Department as a patrol officer and field training officer from 1990 until 1993. prgtoken In 1993 Major Anderson joined the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office and was assigned to the Patrol Division as Deputy Sheriff. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1994, to Lieutenant in 1998, and to Captain of the Patrol Division in 2006. Major Anderson was appointed to Major/ Chief Deputy by Sheriff Alan Jones in 2008 and served in this position until his retirement. As Chief Deputy, Major Anderson supervised budgetary and personnel matters and oversaw the daily operations of the Sheriff's office. In addition to these duties, Major Anderson conducted an extensive research project to document the history of the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. prgtoken Throughout his career, Major Anderson has received numerous medals, service awards, and commendations including the Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate, Advanced Service Award, Officer of the Year, and the Medal of Valor. Major Anderson is a lifelong resident of Caldwell County, where he lives with his wife and children. prgtoken Through his dedication to the people and history of Caldwell County, Major Anderson has enriched the community that he so faithfully served. I am honored to recognize Major Anderson on his retirement and convey the sincere congratulations and best wishes of the people of North Carolina.
TRIBUTE TO ROBERT LEE HENDEE
Steve Stivers (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise today on behalf of the people of Ohio's 15th Congressional District and the citizens of Wilmington, Ohio to honor the life and memory of Robert Lee Hendee. A pioneer of Southwest Ohio's radio, in his 50 years as a behind-the-scenes support and an on-air personality, Lee became a familiar name and voice in his Wilmington community. prgtoken Lee embodied the American Dream. Following his education at the International School of Broadcasting in Dayton, Ohio, he went on to work at WKFI in Wilmington, WSRW in Hillsboro, and WBZI in Xenia, before ultimately fulfilling his dream of owning his own radio station in 2015. prgtoken As the owner and founder of the nonprofit WALH in Wilmington, Lee brought the power of radio to his community; he interviewed residents and celebrities alike, and unified his neighbors by bringing them information and giving them a voice. I always appreciated the opportunity to stop by the station and catch up with him. His devotion to Wilmington was undeniable. prgtoken Aside from being the man with the voice, he was an avid sports fan and was fiercely dedicated to creating positive change in the lives of young people. He was the proud owner of Ultimate Impact Wrestling, a longtime boys' baseball and girls' softball coach, and a talented bowler. prgtoken Lee touched the lives of countless people with his infectious spirit and memorable voice, He will be fondly remembered by those who loved him, especially his mother, his brother and sister, his wife, his four children and his six grandchildren.
RECOGNIZING MARY ANN STARBUCK
Tom Reed (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise today to congratulate Mary Ann Starbuck on her retirement. prgtoken Ms. Starbuck has dedicated her life to helping individuals and families across the Southern Tier of New York. For nearly 23 years, she served as Chief Executive Officer of CareFirst NY, a community-based program that provides hospice services, palliative care, and grief support to local residents. Her work has touched countless lives and has had a profoundly positive impact on our entire community. prgtoken Ms. Starbuck has been a tireless advocate for legislation to improve and increase access to hospice care. I have had the pleasure of working with her to promote several pieces of legislation to improve and strengthen hospice care, and I have always been encouraged and inspired by her conviction and determination. prgtoken As a result of her outstanding leadership, the Hospice Action Network recently presented CareFirst NY with the Advocacy Innovator Award. This award recognized the efforts of the staff, volunteers, and board of CareFirst NY to further the mission of hospice through advocacy. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Marry Ann Starbuck on her years of service and wishing her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.
PROTECTING AGAINST CHILD EXPLOITATION ACT OF 2017
Bob Goodlatte (Republican, VA) \u2014 2017-5-25

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , today I rise in strong support of H.R. 1761, the Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act of 2017, and urge my colleagues to do the same. I would like to note that May is National Missing Children's Month and today marks National Missing Children's Day. It is an honor to be on the floor here today as we continue our mission to protect these innocent victims. prgtoken We have made great strides toward ending child exploitation. However, gaps still exist in our laws that are contrary to Congress' goal of protecting children and criminalizing the production of images of child sexual abuse. prgtoken H.R. 1761 takes necessary steps to close an unfortunate loophole created by a Fourth Circuit decision in United States v. Palomino- Coronado--a case in which a defendant was able to walk free from Federal conviction despite photographic evidence he had engaged in the sexual abuse of a 7-year-old child. prgtoken On May 3, 2012, Prince George's County police officers responded to a home in Laurel, Maryland, based on a report of a missing 7-year-old child known as ``B.H.'' Officers found the child at the fence that separated her house and her neighbor's house. Upon investigation, it was uncovered that the neighbor, Anthony Palomino-Coronado, a 19-year- old male, had sexually molested the child. prgtoken At trial, the jury found the defendant guilty of knowingly employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing a minor in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct--in other words, for the production of child pornography. The defendant appealed his conviction, alleging insufficient evidence. prgtoken Incredibly, the Fourth Circuit vacated the defendant's conviction, finding there was insufficient evidence the defendant's sexual abuse of the 7-year-old girl was ``for the purpose of'' creating an image of such conduct. The court found that, though the defendant engaged in sexual conduct with a child, ``the fact that only one image was produced militates against finding that his intent in doing so was to take a picture.'' prgtoken Essentially, the court decided that the defendant had engaged in sexual conduct with a 7-year-old and taken a picture but had not engaged in sexual conduct with a 7-year-old to take a picture. To me, this is a preposterous, offensive result. prgtoken Under the Fourth Circuit's reasoning in Palomino, a defendant could admit to sexually abusing a child, and memorializing the conduct, but could argue that he should, nonetheless, escape Federal conviction because he lacked the requisite purpose or specific intent, prior to initiating the sexual abuse. Indeed, defense attorneys have begun to raise these Palomino defenses in other courts. prgtoken In response to Palomino, H.R. 1761 establishes additional bases of liability to the crime of production of child pornography. Specifically, the bill
PROTECTING YOUNG VICTIMS FROM SEXUAL ABUSE ACT OF 2017
Erik Paulsen (Republican, MN) \u2014 2017-5-25

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I would like to first express my thanks and appreciation as well to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), who is bringing this legislation forward, H.R. 1973, of which I am a proud cosponsor. The bill is the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act. prgtoken Every year, Mr. Chair, thousands of amateur athletes begin their journey with the goal of one day being able to represent the United States at the Olympics. This journey is often filled with years of dedication, of sacrifice, of multiple setbacks, all in the hopes of rising to the top of their craft. prgtoken Unfortunately, for some, this journey has also been scarred by sexual abuse, and often this abuse comes from those who are closest to our young athletes. These are the individuals that have been entrusted by families all around the country to look after them, to take care of them, to look after these loved ones during their training. prgtoken The bill today in the House that we are taking up is a step in the right direction to help ensure that athletes are better protected. It requires mandatory and immediate reporting of incidents of child sexual abuse to both local and Federal law enforcement. No organization should be able to stand idly by when a child is placed in harm's way and becomes a victim. prgtoken The bill also directs our amateur athletic governing bodies to develop and implement rigorous training and oversight practices to prevent abuse of athletes in the future. Mr. Chair, our amateur athletes and their families should never ever have to worry about their children being abused by those who are closest to them, often in a very trusted relationship. prgtoken We need to pass this critical legislation to give families the peace of mind and prevent abuse. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.
VA SCHEDULING
Claudia Tenney (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise today to applaud the passage of the Veterans Administration Scheduling Accountability Act. prgtoken All too often, I hear from veterans across the 22nd District of New York who have waited months, and some years, to have their claims addressed. prgtoken In their service to our great Nation, our veterans sacrifice so much. They should never die waiting for care they deserve and need. That is why the House took important steps to reform the scheduling and appeals process while expanding access to the important resources that our veterans depend on. This bill will hold every VA accountable. We seek to correct a wrong that has hurt so many of our veterans. prgtoken On behalf of the veterans in the 22nd District, , Representative Jackie Walorski, and my colleagues in the House, for putting our Nation's heroes first and unanimously passing this important piece of legislation right before Memorial Day.
Introductory Statement on S. 1282
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2017-5-25

today I would like to recognize the commitment to duty and personal courage of three Montanans by introducing a bill to redesignate three Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in their honor. Through their distinguished service to our Nation, the actions of these three gentlemen have earned the respect and gratitude of the Treasure State. prgtoken Under this resolution, the Community Based Outpatient Clinic on Palmer Street in Missoula will be designated in honor of David J. Thatcher. Mr. Thatcher was an outstanding Montanan. The humble circumstances of his upbringing in rural, eastern Montana helped him develop a strong work ethic. In 1940, with war raging across Europe and the clouds of war on the horizon for the United States, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. prgtoken Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he volunteered to serve as a tail gunner for a high risk mission to attack targets deep within Japanese controlled territory. This counterattack would be known to history as the Doolittle Raid. After finishing the bombing mission and running low on fuel, his aircraft crash landed near the coast of China. Mr. Thatcher was instrumental in helping the crew reach safety following the crash and for his actions during the Doolittle Raid, he was awarded the Silver Star. A few years later, the actor Robert Walker portrayed Corporal Thatcher on the silver screen in ``Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.'' After the war, Mr. Thatcher embarked on a career with the U.S. Postal Service and married his sweetheart Dawn. Their marriage spanned seven decades until he passed away last June at the age of 94. prgtoken In Billings, the Community Based Outpatient Clinic on Spring Creek Lane will be designated in honor of Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow. Dr. Medicine Crow was an accomplished warrior and esteemed historian. He was born on the Crow Indian Reservation in eastern Montana and traveled across the U.S. while pursuing his education. In 1939, Dr. Medicine Crow earned his master's degree from the University of Southern California, becoming the first member of the Crow Tribe to attain that credential. In 1943 he joined the United States Army. While serving as an Army scout during World War II, Dr. Medicine Crow fulfilled the four requirements to become a war chief. While fighting against the German forces he led a war party, stole an enemy horse, disarmed an enemy, and touched an enemy without killing him. Later in life he served as the Crow tribal historian, received multiple honorary doctorate degrees, and spoke at venues across the Nation. He was the last Crow war chief, and his passing last April, at the age of 102, was a loss to our Nation. For his lifetime of service to the Crow Tribe, the State of Montana, and to United States, Dr. Medicine Crow was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. prgtoken The Billings Community Based Specialty Clinic located on Majestic Lane will be designated in honor of Be
EAGLE SCOUT KENT DURANTE
Francis Rooney (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-5-25

I rise today in honor of Kent Durante, who received his Eagle Scout pin posthumously this past Saturday. Kent lost his brave battle with cancer last November before he could fulfill his dream of becoming an Eagle Scout. Last weekend, he was honored at a ceremony along with two of his fellow scouts, where they achieved the highest rank Boy Scouts can achieve. For over a century, the Boy Scouts of America have had an honored tradition of teaching young men essential life skills including outdoor survival and leadership skills. As told to me, these times were cherished by Kent as, even after his diagnosis, he continued to remain active in his troop and even graduated cum laude from Estero High School. It is understood in the scouting community that only about 4 percent of scouts attain the rank of Eagle. It is humbling to know that Kent is among this distinguished group. I would like to honor Kent for this well-deserved award.
PROTECTING AGAINST CHILD EXPLOITATION ACT OF 2017
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-5-25

before I begin, I want to thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue to help save those who have been trafficked across not only just America, but around the world. prgtoken , they didn't list her name in the report, and that makes sense. It all happened before she even reached the age of 16. So to protect her identity, they called her Tonya. prgtoken She ran away from home and ended up living with a man they called Eddie. Eddie was the stepdad of one of her classmates. Tonya and Eddie started a relationship. Tonya felt that she really loved him. Eddie took advantage of that, and he pressured Tonya into a life no child should have to live. prgtoken Tonya was saved in large part by luck. A tip to the police led to action by the Federal special agent. And now Eddie is behind bars finishing the second year of his 12-year prison sentence. Meanwhile, Tonya is just trying to return to a normal life. prgtoken , I wish I could say this story wasn't true, that these fictitious names didn't reflect hard reality. I wish I could say it was isolated. I wish I could say that this type of thing doesn't happen here in America, but it does. prgtoken It repeats itself with different details even more disturbing than Tonya's story in towns and cities across our Nation. It is not just sex trafficking. It is forced labor. It is exploitation. It is slavery. And every single instance cries out against the moral truth written on every human heart. prgtoken Now, the numbers are staggering. 20.9 million people are trafficked globally. Of that number, over a quarter are children. The majority are pressed to work for little to no wages. And 4.5 million of these people are victims of forced sexual exploitation. prgtoken Here in America, there were 7,572 cases of human trafficking reported in 2016. That is an increase of 35 percent over just the year before. My home State of California is particularly dire. Of all the cases in the Nation, 1,323 come from California. prgtoken Though we need no explanation for why we are passing anti-trafficking and exploitation legislation today, I think it helps that we understand the magnitude of this evil. prgtoken We have, in this body, voted on 11 bills so far. Today we will vote on two more by the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Johnson). Altogether, these bills address many aspects of this problem: international trafficking, recording and transmission of child pornography, abuse uncovered on the U.S. Olympic teams, the handling of trauma cases in our justice system. prgtoken I don't believe that these bills alone will end human trafficking or exploitation in and of themselves, but they will help. They will help prevent these crimes, they will help the victims recover, and they will bring us closer to a world where every person, especially those who need us most, won't be abused but will be truly loved. prgtoken , I thank the gentleman for his work