mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING TROY CHISUM
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-7-18

on August 10, Fulton County Sheriff Deputy Troy Chisum should be turning 40 years old. He should be spending the day watching his daughters play softball, or he should be playing football with his friends and excitedly discussing the upcoming Minnesota Vikings football season. prgtoken But, sadly, he won't be doing these things. Deputy Chisum was killed in the line of duty on June 25. I want to honor him today. prgtoken Deputy Chisum was answering a call about a domestic disturbance in Avon, IL. He was 4 minutes closer than any other deputy. When he arrived at the scene, he saw the suspect on the porch. As he moved back for safety, he was shot in the back and killed. The suspect barricaded himself in the house for the next 19 hours before the standoff ended. prgtoken Deputy Chisum was the fifth law enforcement officer in America in an 8-day period to be shot and killed while on duty. Another police officer has been shot and killed since then. Their deaths are a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers officers face every day. prgtoken Troy Chisum loved his community. He always answered the call to help. He worked as a paramedic with the Fulton County EMA and as a firefighter with Northern Tazewell County. He also was a member of the West Central Illinois Special Response Team and the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System Weapon of Mass Destruction/Special Response Team, Region Six. He had formerly worked for Lewistown Police Department. He was a consummate public servant. prgtoken His family was always his No. 1 priority. He loved any activity with his wife Amanda and his time with his three daughters. He helped inspire his daughter Kyleigh to pursue a medical career. He made his girls so proud. prgtoken Deputy Chisum's wife Amanda, their three daughters Kyleigh, Abigail, and Gracie, his father, Phil Chisum, his mother and stepfather, Debra and Mike Wheeler and too many relatives, colleagues and friends to name; they were all proud of Troy. prgtoken Deputy Chisum was one of the good ones. His colleagues knew him as the first one in every morning and the last one out every night. His legacy and sacrifice will be remembered.
HONORING THE MEMORY OF PHIL FREELON
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-7-18

I rise today to honor Phil Freelon, who passed away on July 9 at his home in Durham, North Carolina. prgtoken While attending Central High School in Philadelphia, he was drawn to art and the technique of designing and building. He was one of two Black architect students at North Carolina State University's College of Design, where he had a passion for increasing diversity within his profession. prgtoken One of his major contributions to our Nation was the building of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. prgtoken , we mourn the passing of Mr. Freelon, but his legacy and passion lives on to educate and empower the next generation of architects.
IN RECOGNITION OF CHRIST CATHEDRAL
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-7-18

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate the Diocese of Orange Christ Cathedral on the completion of its renovations. The Christ Cathedral, formerly known as the ``Crystal Cathedral,'' has been a recognizable architectural marvel landmark in Garden Grove since 1955. The 34-acre land has been a beacon to the community and continues to be a space for community members to practice their faith. prgtoken In 1955, protestant mega-church leader Dr. Robert Schuller began preaching at the Orange Drive-in Theater. By 1975, his congregation outgrew the first church and Dr. Schuller began searching for architects to build a creative and beautiful space for worship. He worked with Philip Johnson and John Burgee to create a plan for an all glass church. In 2012, the campus and its buildings were sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and have since become the new spiritual center of the division. prgtoken Starting in 2015, the campus began major renovations including extensive restorations to the grounds and buildings. These renovations included the restoration of 11,000 glass panes, the construction of scaffolding inside the cathedral, and the design of sacred art. Construction workers involved in the project logged over 100,000 hours of work without a single accident. The renovations are now complete, and today the refurbished cathedral is ready to serve as a spiritual home to Orange County's more than 1.3 million Catholics, and the local community at-large through services and programs available to everyone including weddings, conferences, concerts, and family-friendly events. prgtoken It is my distinct honor to ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the new building design of the Christ Cathedral.
Border Security (Executive Session)
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2019-7-18

I start this afternoon with a topic we are all talking about--the horror that we saw and heard last night at a rally when there was a chant over and over again--we have seen the footage of it--of ``send her back.'' prgtoken I condemn this--as I did earlier today--in the strongest possible terms, and I want to reiterate my condemnation of that chant. I know that condemnation is widely shared on both sides of the aisle. I hope folks in both Chambers and both parties will condemn and reiterate the condemnation of that kind of chant but also what is underneath it. It is racist, for sure, and it is not who we are. That is not America. prgtoken I am glad the President said that if it happens again, he will try to stop it. I wish he had done that in real time last night, but let's see what happens at the next rally. prgtoken There is no excuse for any public official to do anything other than condemn that kind of language. Representative Omar is a Representative in the Congress of the United States who came here as a child, and for anyone to utter those kinds of words against her or anyone else, of course, should be condemned. prgtoken Fortunately, I think most Americans agree with me, and we have to be very clear when we have that kind of sentiment expressed, especially when it is repeated across the country, as we saw last night. prgtoken I want to talk about our asylum system, a legal asylum system that was established in the wake of the horrors of World War II. We as a Nation--the United States of America--vowed after that conflict to do better, to be better, to serve as a refuge for those fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries. prgtoken Today, families from Central America are arriving at our southern border, hoping to avail themselves of this system because of the violence in their home countries. The three we have heard so much about--Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador--rank in the top 10 countries in the world for homicide--homicide. According to a report issued by Doctors Without Borders in 2017, Northern Triangle countries, these three countries, are experiencing--and this is a direct quote from the Doctors Without Borders report, 2017--``violent displacement, persecution, sexual violence, and forced repatriation akin to the conditions found in the deadliest armed conflicts in the world today.'' So said Doctors Without Borders. prgtoken In the face of violence and other such circumstances, the choice to move in search of opportunity and safety is one that the vast majority of families would make, even when that journey can further subject them to violence and danger. prgtoken Late last month, the Nation was horrified--indeed, the world was horrified--by a photograph of a 2-year-old girl and her father, her small arm clinging to her father as they lay facedown in a river, dead. prgtoken That is not the picture I am showing here. We all know that picture. I don't need to show it
RAISE THE WAGE ACT
David J. Trone (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-7-18

I rise in support of the Raise the Wage Act. prgtoken , I include in the Record a letter signed by over 1,000 businesses that support a fair minimum wage. Business for a Fair Minimum Wage Federal $15 Sign On Statement prgtoken Part 2 of List of About 1,000 Signers and Counting as of July 17, 2019 Alan Chebot, Owner, Parallax Productions, Allston, MA; Dean Cycon, CEO, Dean's Beans Organic Coffee Company, Orange, MA; Fred Davis, President, Fred Davis Corporation, Medfield, MA; Megan Driscoll, CEO, Pharmalogics Recruiting, Quincy, MA; Dorothy Emerson, Co-founder, Rainbow Solutions, Medford, MA; Paul English, CTO and President, Lola.com Boston, MA; Rob Everts, Co-CEO, Equal Exchange West Bridgewater, MA; Jen Faigel, Executive Director, CommonWealth Kitchen, Dorchester, MA; Nancy Feton, Co-owner, Broadside Bookshop, Northampton, MA; Laura Fisher, Owner, Fisher Agencies--American Income Life, Buington, MA; Tim Fisk, Owner, Salon Herdis, Northampton, MA; Vincent Frano, Owner, The Bower Studio, Pelham, MA; Julie Fraser, Principal & Director, Lyno Advisors Inc & Present Source, Cummaquid, MA; David Gardner, President/Owner, Boyds Direct Corp, Stoneham, MA; Julie Goodridge, CEO, Northstar Asset Management. Inc Boston, MA. Myrna Greenfield, Owner, Good Egg Marketing, Jamaica Plain, MA; Jeff Greim, Founder/CEO, Your Choice Brands, Longmeadow, MA; Tim Greiner, Owner, Pure Strategies, Gloucester, MA; Valerie + Lhsan Gurdal, Owners, Formaggio Kitchen, Boston, MA; Abraham Gutman, President & CEO, AG Mednet, Inc Boston, MA; Laury Hammel, Owner and CEO, The Longfellow Clubs, Wayland, MA; Laurence Hammel, Executive Director, Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts, Wayland, MA; Jackie Herskovitz Russell, Founder and President, Teak Media + Communication, Boston, MA; Shel Horowitz, Owner, Going Beyond Sustainability, Hadley, MA; Yscaira Jimenez, CEO, LaborX, Boston, MA; Michael Kanter, Owner, Cambridge Naturals, Cambridge, MA; Emily Kanter, Owner, Cambridge Naturals, Boston, MA; Stephen Katsurlnls, Owner, 8 Dyer Hotel, Provincetown, MA; Sonia Kowal, President, Zevin Asset Management, Boston, MA; Susan Labandlbar, President, Tech Networks of Boston, Cambridge, MA; Mike Lapham, Project Director, Responsible Wealth, Boston, MA. Joseph Laur, Owner, MapleMama Beverages, Wendell, MA; Gail Leondar-Wright, Owner, Gail Leondar Public Relations, Arlington, MA; Karen Levy, Owner, Karen Ann Massage, Jamaica Plain, MA; Rob Libon, Investment Advisor, Greenvest, West Whately, MA; Carol Marsh, Owner, Helios Design Group, Jamaica Plain, MA; Philip Mccarron, Owner, Beacon Solar, Fall River, MA; Ann McEwen, Hospital Administrator, Riverbend Animal Hospital, Hadley, MA; Tim McNerney, Founder, Repair Coll
IN RECOGNITION OF RICHMOND BELL, RECIPIENT OF THE FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR
William R. Keating (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-7-18

. Madam , I rise today in recognition of Richmond Bell as he is awarded the French Legion of Honor, 75 years after bravely serving in the United States Army at the Battle of Normandy. prgtoken At only 18 years old, Mr. Bell enlisted in the 29th Infantry in 1943. After many members of his regiment lost their lives on D-Day, Mr. Bell, along with 14 other soldiers, were sent to France in an essential support effort of the remaining American Troops. prgtoken While serving on the frontlines each day for more than six weeks, Mr. Bell fought with courage and dedication to his country. He continuously risked his life for the war effort and the safety of his fellow soldiers. prgtoken In December of 1945, Mr. Bell returned to his hometown of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, honorably discharged with three Purple Hearts. A lifetime resident of the town, Mr. Bell is a beloved and respected member of the Wellfleet community. He is the son of the town doctor and a former paperboy for the Cape Cod Standard. Mr. Bell, now ``semi- retired,'' lives with his wife Gail. He has 5 children, four step- children and 26 grandchildren. prgtoken Madam , I am proud to honor Richmond Bell for his dedication to his country. I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking him for his immense bravery and valiant efforts through a critical time in our nation's history.
Texas Veterans (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-18

I am proud of the fact that 1 out of every 10 persons who wears the uniform of the U.S. military calls Texas home. It is no surprise that with more than a dozen military installations in the State, many servicemembers choose to live in Texas when they return to civilian life. We have the second highest veteran population of all of the States, with an estimated 1.6 million veterans living in Texas. prgtoken As you might suppose, in having the honor of representing these 1.6 million veterans, I talk to them quite a bit and hear from them often. I hear about the challenges they face when they transition back to civilian life. Whether the challenges are the big ones or the little ones, whether the challenges are of navigating complicated trails of paperwork, getting the timely healthcare they need, or finding employment when they return to civilian life, I am eager to help them identify solutions. prgtoken Over the last few years, we have made some major progress. In the last Congress, for example, we passed the historic VA MISSION Act, which modernized the veterans' appeals process and the electronic health records system. The bill reformed GI benefits, improved accountability within the VA Administration, and provided the largest funding increase in history for veterans' care and services. prgtoken We have also passed other bills to help veterans transition from military service. For example, our Jobs for Our Heroes Act made it easy for veterans to get commercial driver's licenses. Believe it or not, it is hard for the private sector to find the truckdrivers it needs. After somebody has driven a large vehicle in the military as part of his daily duties, you can imagine that his transitioning to a commercial driver's license would be a relatively simple thing. Given the paperwork and the bureaucracy and the challenges of one's applying for a commercial driver's license, we were able to pass legislation to facilitate that transition. prgtoken We also passed the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act, which ensures that veterans get hired by local law enforcement agencies. If you think about that, it is a skill set that many learn in the military, whether they served in the military police or otherwise. If you talk to one of your local police departments, one of the things the department is short on is the number of people who work for local law enforcement. That is also true for Federal law enforcement agencies, particularly for the Border Patrol. Many military servicemembers come out of the military with the very skills that are needed most by the police agencies that work to keep our communities safe. prgtoken To improve the educational opportunities that are available to these men and women, in the last Congress, we passed a bipartisan bill called the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, also known as the Forever GI Bill. President signed it into law in August of 2017. With
Order of Business (Executive Session)
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2019-7-18

I am grateful to the ic leader and to both Senators from New York for working with me on this and for getting this, along with my amendment and Senator Paul's amendment, set up for a vote. prgtoken To be very clear--I want there to be no ambiguity--I would be willing to vote on this right now. There is no reason we should have to delay that. I am taking into account scheduling requests that were made by other Members of this body. As far as I am concerned and, as far as I am aware, as far as Senator Paul is concerned, we would be happy to vote on these immediately. There is no additional reason for delay. prgtoken This is how the Senate is supposed to work. Each Member is supposed to have the opportunity to bring forward amendments to offer up improvements to legislation, to make sure that they happen and that they happen right. prgtoken I respectfully but strongly disagree with my colleagues on the merits of some of the issues we have been discussing. We will debate those more in the coming days. prgtoken I would reiterate that it is not unreasonable to suggest that a program that takes the unprecedented step of authorizing funding for something until 2092--that, coupled with language authorizing the expenditure of such sums as may be necessary, creates problems. It is one of the reasons we opt to vote on this amendment and one of the reasons I believe in this amendment. prgtoken In any event, this is the kind of thing that ought not to be difficult. When any Member of any political background sees a potential weakness or defect in a piece of legislation, the rules of our body are such that we are supposed to be able to offer that up and cast an amendment. In this circumstance, I am pleased that it worked out the way it did, and we will be able to get votes on these amendments.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (Republican, WI) \u2014 2019-7-18

. Madam , due to previously scheduled travel, I was physically absent from the House of Representatives on June 27, 2019. On that day, I missed 5 recorded votes. prgtoken On Roll Call No. 426 on the Adoption of H. Res. 466, had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea.'' prgtoken On Roll Call No. 427 on the Motion to Recommit, had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea.'' prgtoken On Roll Call No. 428 on the Passage of H.R. 2722, had I been present, I would have voted ``Nay.'' prgtoken On Roll Call No. 429 on Concurring to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3401, had I been present, I would have voted ``Nay.'' prgtoken On Roll Call No. 430 on the Approval of the 's Journal, had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea.''
RECOGNIZING THE ONTONAGON COUNTY VETERANS ASSOCIATION
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2019-7-18

. Madam , it is my honor to recognize the Ontonagon County Veterans Association (OCVA) for over sixteen years of service to Veterans and their families. Through their dedicated service, exceptional leadership, and steadfast devotion to its community, the OCVA has become an indispensable part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. prgtoken First formed in 2003, the OCVA represents all eight VFWs and American Legions in Ontonagon County. The organization was first brought together to provide full military honors at all military burials in the county--an endeavor that requires significant coordination and participation from local Veterans. Today, the OCVA Honor Guard leads dozens of burials for Ontonagon Veterans each year. The group also schedules and operates the DAV Van, taking Veterans from throughout the county to the VA Facility in Iron Mountain. This work is made even more difficult by the extreme geographic size and low population density of Ontonagon County. Despite these challenges, the OCVA consistently rises to the challenge in service of our local Veterans. prgtoken In addition to their regular work, efforts from the OCVA were critical in returning LS2 Lowell Valley, a sailor on the USS Oklahoma killed during the attacks on Pearl Harbor, home for final burial in 2018. Its members are also highly involved in community activities, churches, government, and local businesses. Day after day, the OCVA continues to set a positive example of what can be achieved when the people of a community work together for the common good. prgtoken Madam , it's my honor to recognize the Ontonagon County Veterans Association for decades of success and service to the Veterans of the Upper Peninsula. Michiganders can take great pride in knowing the First District is home to such dedicated citizens. On behalf of my constituents, I wish the OCVA all the best in its future endeavors.
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ``APOLLO 11''
Jim Jordan (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-7-18

in July of 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins achieved something once thought impossible: successfully landing on the Moon and returning safely to the Earth. prgtoken They succeeded despite the many dangers they faced and the countless things that could have gone wrong during their pioneering 240,000-mile journey. prgtoken As we mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, I take special pride in representing Neil Armstrong's birthplace, Wapakoneta, Ohio, home of the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum. prgtoken The museum has on display many artifacts from the mission and other prgtoken items from Mr. Armstrong's life and career. The museum's yearlong celebration of the Apollo 11 anniversary culminates this weekend in a series of events, ranging from meet-and-greets with active and retired astronauts to the Run to the Moon 5k and 10k races, special exhibits at the museum, and the grand finale concert. prgtoken , Neil Armstrong died in 2012 at the age of 82, but the impact of his journey is still felt today in rural Auglaize County, Ohio, and throughout the world. prgtoken I am pleased to join the people of Wapakoneta in celebrating the man who took a small step but left a giant legacy.
BROWSER Act (Executive Calendar)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-7-18

today I rise and seek my colleagues' support for the BROWSER Act, which is a bipartisan piece of legislation that will protect consumers' data privacy and offer tech companies the freedom they need to innovate. prgtoken This is something we are hearing so much about. How do you protect your privacy online, or do you have privacy online? The BROWSER Act is the bipartisan solution to that. prgtoken Innovation really puts the words and the wisdom of the world at our fingertips. Think about it. A click of a mouse, a touch of the screen, and everything you want to know appears right there in front of you. Now that we have all downloaded a myriad of apps and we are using search engines every single day, it is commonplace. But what we have learned and what people are aware of now more than ever is that in the process of doing this, they have given away something vitally important and precious; that is, their privacy and their information. I call it your ``virtual you'' because it is you, your presence, that is right there online. prgtoken As your transactional life has grown online--you pay your bills, you do your shopping, you order your groceries, you order dinner to be delivered--every time you do that, you are giving these apps a peek into your privacy, into your habits, and there is really quite a battle going on. Who owns the ``virtual you''? Is it you or the bank or the insurance company or the app that is providing that service? prgtoken Data is the bedrock of most tech companies' revenue streams. The higher the quality of that data, the more money they are going to get for the ad space they sell. The more money they get for the ad space they sell, the more profit they are going to put into their pocket. prgtoken When you look at all these apps--Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Google, Snapchat--all of these apps are taking your information. They mine your information, and it gets sold--sold for those that are placing ads on your screen. prgtoken There is a reason companies provide convoluted, pages-long disclosure, full disclosure and privacy policies in tiny print so small you can't read it. It is the same reason that watchdogs warn consumers that if the service is free, you are the product. If the service is free--take a look at these--you are the product. You are because it is your information that they want. prgtoken Now, I will tell you this: We have come to a season in our society where we have a different story just about every single day of some type of bad behavior from one of these companies. The current story today is about FaceApp, and I think that if I went around the room and asked those who are younger if they have used any of these face- altering apps, they would probably say: Yeah, we downloaded one. They are really a lot of fun to play with. prgtoken Here is the danger: That app--these face-altering apps and FaceApp-- is not limited to just bits of personal information that are go