mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COMMENDING MR. ELVIN COSBY'S 73 YEARS OF SERVICE TO HENRICO COUNTY, VIRGINIA
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2019-6-3

. Madam , I rise today to honor Mr. Elvin Cosby on his retirement from Henrico County Government after 73 years of service. prgtoken Mr. Cosby began serving the Henrico Department of Public Works in April of 1946. He began his career in public service carrying water to county work crews and has also served as a truck driver, equipment operator, and county foreman. Most recently, Mr. Cosby acted as a maintenance supervisor and cleared debris from Henrico's roads. prgtoken Mr. Cosby has diligently served the public through each and every one of his functions within Henrico County Govemment. In addition to his tireless work ethic, members of the community have also praised Mr. Cosby for promoting diversity and symbolizing selflessness. As a fellow public servant, I am humbled and moved by his dedication to serve Virginia's 7th District. prgtoken Although I know he will be dearly missed by mentees, colleagues, and friends at the Department of Public Works, I hope Mr. Cosby will enjoy getting to spend more time with his wife and grandchildren. After seven decades of working on others' behalves, I cannot think of many more deserving of a blissful and relaxing retirement. prgtoken Madam , please join me in commending Mr. Cosby for his unwavering commitment to improving our community.
HONORING WILLIAM BRODISH AND HERBERT TERNER ON THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY
Mikie Sherrill (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-6-3

. Madam , this week, we will commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and I rise to honor two of our New Jersey residents who participated in Operation Overlord. prgtoken William Brodish worked at Picatinny Arsenal for 3 years. He joined the Army and was assigned to the 27th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad. prgtoken On the morning of June 6, Private Brodish landed on Omaha Beach and got to work removing projectiles and rockets from the shoreline. He was only 22-years-old when he died on the beach as a German artillery projectile exploded over his position. prgtoken Herbert Terner enlisted in the Army in 1942, and on D-Day, he parachuted into Normandy with the 101st Airborne. prgtoken As a radio specialist, he alerted troops of landing positions, and he continued to fight after D-Day in the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, helped to liberate prisoners from the concentration camps. prgtoken I had the great honor of meeting Herb, now 98 years old and a resident of Montville, over Memorial Day weekend. prgtoken Tonight, I honor William, Herbert, and all the New Jersey residents who put their lives on the line to defend democracy and free Europe from the grasp of the Nazis and totalitarianism.
TRIBUTE TO DAVID PARKS
Jacky Rosen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2019-6-3

today it is with tremendous pride that I recognize a great Nevadan, State Senator David Parks. prgtoken Senator Parks arrived in Nevada to serve as an airman in the U.S. Air Force. He served our country with honor from 1967-1971 and was stationed at Nevada's own Nellis Air Force Base. After receiving his master of business administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he used his business expertise to work on behalf of the southern Nevada community he loved dearly. Among his various public service positions, Parks served as chairman of the Paradise Town Advisory Board, the director of the Office of Budget and Management for the city of Las Vegas, and the assistant director of the Regional Transportation Commission of southern Nevada. prgtoken David Parks first brought his extensive experience in local government to the Nevada Legislature when he was elected to the Nevada Assembly in 1997. He served the assembly with honor and integrity as the assistant majority whip and then later as the assistant majority floor leader. In 2008, Parks' community elected him to the Nevada State Senate, representing Whitney and parts of Paradise, Henderson, and Sunrise Manor. He was subsequently reelected in 2012 and again in 2016. prgtoken In his 22 years of legislative experience and life of public service, Senator Parks has remained a steadfast champion for the LGBTQ community by ensuring equal rights and protections for LGBTQ individuals throughout the State and serving for many years on the Governor's Statewide AIDS Advisory Task Force. Nevada's progressive leadership on many issues that affect LGBTQ Nevadans is a direct result of the senator's advocacy and persistence. During his tenure in the legislature, he has been the State's leader on pursuing LGBTQ equality, leading efforts to institute civil unions in Nevada, ban discrimination based on gender identity or expression, and address bullying and cyber- bullying in Nevada's schools, among many other critical reforms. prgtoken We honor David Parks today as he concludes his final legislative session in the Nevada State Senate and leaves behind a legacy of progressive change and a deep commitment to public service.
GUN POLICIES WORK
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-6-3

. Madam , in the wake of yet another tragedy, I rise to recognize the month of June as National Gun Violence Awareness Month. prgtoken On Friday, yet another 12 people lost their lives to gun violence, this time in Virginia Beach. Twelve more families were ripped apart, another community forever changed. prgtoken I know firsthand the devastation a gun can cause. The accidental shooting that left me a quadriplegic was life-shattering. And yet the pain of losing a parent, a child, or a friend is forever unimaginable. prgtoken I have said too many times to count that we must address the gun violence epidemic head-on. We owe it to the family members, the friends, and the neighbors who lost their lives in Virginia Beach and the thousands more who will die this year. prgtoken We know the policies that work. Now we must have the courage to enact them.
PAYING TRIBUTE TO WRITER TONY HORWITZ
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2019-6-3

. Madam , I rise today to pay tribute to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tony Horwitz who died last week at the age of 60. His 1998 Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches From the Unfinished Civil War was hugely influential on me because, having grown up in the South, I could relate to much of what he wrote. His views on civil rights and even on zoning laws were insightful and illuminating. I recall once visiting my neighbor and friend the Civil War historian Shelby Foote and seeing Confederates in the Attic among his books. He told me Horwitz had recently visited and had dropped off a copy, and Foote said he wished he'd read it before the visit. Horwitz won his Pulitzer Prize as a reporter at The Wall Street Journal for his stories on low-wage workers at garbage recycling and poultry processing plants and worked for The New Yorker before writing Confederates in the Attic. Known for his deep reporting and participatory journalism, Horwitz also wrote Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before (2002) in which he retraced the 18th century explorer's voyages in the Pacific; A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World (2008), which looked at what America was like before its European discovery; Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid that Sparked the Civil War (2011) about the abolitionist's 1859 attack on the military arsenal at Harper's Ferry; and Spying on the South: An Odyssey Across the American Divide that came out in May which followed the future landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead's reporting for The New York Times from the South prior to the Civil War. Horwitz's reputation as a hands- on reporter and writer will be long remembered. I wish to express my condolences to his wife, the novelist Geraldine Brooks; to his sons Nathaniel and Bizu; and to his many fans and friends.
SETTING FORTH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 AND SETTING FORTH THE APPROPRIATE BUDGETARY LEVELS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2021 THROUGH 2029--MOTION TO PROCEED
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-6-3

it is with great sadness that last week we learned of the death of our friend and former colleague, Thad Cochran from Mississippi. prgtoken In nearly 40 years in office, Thad served with a fierceness and loyalty to Mississippi matched only by his sense of dignity and respect for his colleagues. prgtoken When his issues were on the line, Senator Cochran fought for Mississippi as hard as any Senator. He nurtured Mississippi's universities, schools, farms, hospitals, ports, and fishing industry. He was a champion of the poor and gave a voice to rural communities by expanding assistance for southern farmers. Perhaps it is fitting that he was first bitten by the political bug in his run for head cheerleader at Ole Miss because throughout his career and throughout his life, Thad never stopped being a cheerleader for Mississippi. prgtoken One thing I will never forget was Senator Cochran's graciousness after my State was hit by Hurricane Sandy. He knew, from his experience after Hurricane Katrina, just how devastating the damage can be and how difficult the recovery process can seem in the aftermath of a disaster. At a time when many of his colleagues who always voted for their regions but opposed Sandy because it was New York, Senator Cochran not only supported it but even made sure his team was available to give us guidance. I will never forget that. That is the kind of gentleman and fair-minded individual he was--something missing a lot around here. prgtoken In many ways, Thad Cochran was a model Senator. He understood this body's preference for cooperation, compromise, and congeniality almost intuitively. Even as the Senate has gone further away from those values, Senator Cochran held them close. That is just who he was. It made him a better Senator and a better man. We will miss him. I think all of us will. Our prayers go out today to his wife, Kay, his children, his loved ones, and his many friends. Background Checks prgtoken , on background checks, last Friday, another horrible mass shooting transformed a peaceful community in America into a place of tragedy. In Virginia Beach, a dozen people were killed, several others critically wounded, and thousands of Virginians left to mourn and pick up the pieces. prgtoken Today we grieve with the people of Virginia Beach, and we send our thanks to the brave police men and women who risked their lives to protect their neighbors. These tragedies leave scars that never go away on community after community that has suffered from it. prgtoken It has been less than a month since I spoke on the Senate floor after a shooting. That is the tragedy. It is less than 1 month that I had to come to the floor and speak on the tragedy of one shooting, and now we have another. The list of national tragedies is already too long. The names and places of mass prgtoken shootings and the victims of everyday gun violence are already too m
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION
Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-3

. Madam , this past Wednesday, I met with a group of high school students from my district who started a local March for Our Lives chapter to talk about the gun epidemic in our country. Then, 2 days later, we had another mass shooting in Virginia Beach. prgtoken According to the Mass Shooting Tracker website, there have been over 181 mass shootings in the United States this year, with over 200 victims losing their lives. prgtoken I am proud that we finally passed commonsense gun legislation in this House that expanded background checks, which is something over 90 percent of the American people wanted, but we need to do more. prgtoken The shooting in Virginia Beach used both a silencer and a high- capacity magazine. We need legislation now to outlaw both of those items as well as automatic rifles. We need to allow the Centers for Disease Control to study the gun epidemic in our country so we can find a solution. prgtoken But it is not just mass shootings that we need to address. Over two- thirds of all gun deaths in the United States are a result of suicides, and the number is rising. Over 20 veterans a day are committing suicide. We must also study firearm suicide and how it relates to mental health and how we can limit firearm access to those who are suffering. prgtoken We have a problem in our country, and it is not just going to go away. Now is the time for action. Too many lives are at stake.
A TRAITOR TO LIBERTY
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-6-3

. Madam , what defines a traitor to America's liberty? prgtoken The Justice Department defines a traitor as a person, who owing allegiance to the United States, adheres to their enemies. prgtoken President 's 2016 campaign manager, Paul Manafort, fits that definition: a traitor. prgtoken Manafort proudly sought out multimillions of dollars from the enemies of liberty to promote the pro-Russian anti-democratic ruler of Ukraine--President Viktor Yanukovych. prgtoken Yanukovych took his direct orders from Russian dictator Vladimir Putin who personally directed Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. prgtoken When Ukrainian people rose up to take back their nation, Yanukovych, after killing his own countrymen, fled back to his master in Russia to hide out, looting countless millions that he stole from the Ukrainian people. prgtoken The real question for America is how could a U.S. citizen sell out liberty for dirty money from such dictators for whom liberty means nothing. prgtoken Mr. Manafort, 's campaign manager, is no stranger to criminal enterprise. prgtoken Just weeks ago, news broke out that Manafort got millions upon millions of dollars, auctioning off high-level administration positions to a Chicago banker named Stephen Calk. prgtoken Madam , it is a fair question to ask: At what exact point in his sordid career did Manafort become a traitor to liberty? And, more importantly, who else is riding his traitorous coattails?
EXTENDING TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES PROGRAM AND RELATED PROGRAMS
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-6-3

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , H.R. 2940 is bipartisan legislation that extends the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, TANF, and the Child Care Entitlement to States, CCES, through September 30, 2019. This legislation will allow the Department of Health and Human Services to make on-time payments to States, Tribes, and territories for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year. prgtoken I thank my friend and ranking member, Mrs. Walorski, for her support of parents and grandparents and for partnering with me to ensure that there is no disruption in help for families or promised funding to States. prgtoken States depend on Federal TANF and childcare funding to help struggling parents and grandparents work and to provide basic necessities for children. Without the funding we are extending today, States would likely reduce access to childcare assistance, transportation, and job training, and delay or reduce assistance families use to buy basics like food, housing, and diapers. prgtoken , I include in the Record this letter from the bipartisan leadership of the National Governors Association urging Congress to quickly enact H.R. 2940. National Governors Association, Washington, DC, May 30, 2019. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, of the House, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy: We write to urge you to support and pass H.R. 2940, introduced by Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Walorski of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, which would extend the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program through September 30, 2019. As you know, the program funding is currently slated to expire on June 30, 2019. TANF is a critical program for states and served 3.1 million recipients, including 1.2 million families in 2018. TANF provides vital cash assistance, job training, child care, and other critical services for families and children. The program provided a total of $16.5 billion in 2018 in federal dollars for these services for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the territories, and American Indian tribes. States also are required to contribute at least $10.3 billion in state funds per year under the maintenance-of- effort requirement. We ask that Congress act quickly and pass H.R. 2940, a clean TANF extension, and send it to the President for signature in order to avoid any lapse in funding for states
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS LONG-TERM LEGAL RESIDENTS RELIEF ACT
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2019-6-3

I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. prgtoken , 12 years ago, Congress enacted legislation extending U.S. immigration law to my district, the Northern Mariana Islands; and for my 11 years here in Congress, I have worked to make the resulting transition as least difficult as possible. prgtoken Because there were unforeseen consequences, there were people who fell through the cracks. Today we have the chance to help some of those people. Their circumstances were not taken into account when Federal immigration was extended to our islands. prgtoken During the administration, they were granted humanitarian parole that allowed them to stay. But President decided that was an improper use of parole. prgtoken The President's executive order of January 25, 2017, directed that parole be granted only on a case-by-case basis not to categories of people, as had been done in the Marianas. prgtoken As a result, 1,039 long-term residents of my island lost their parole status last December. They were given until June 29 to adjust status or leave. prgtoken I have no argument with the President's thinking. In fact, I have worked to provide permanent status in law for these long-term residents. But immigration legislation is difficult. I have not been successful. prgtoken I hope today that will change because even though the administration ended parole, at the same time, the administration also recognized that these long-term residents should be allowed to stay in the Marianas. The administration drafted legislation giving these prgtoken people permanent status in the Marianas, and just in the Marianas, so they could continue to live and work as they have for years as part of our community. prgtoken I introduced that legislation, H.R. 559, and the administration submitted a statement for the hearing record to the Natural Resources Committee supporting passage, which I include in the Record. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC, February 21, 2019. Hon. Raul M. Grijalva, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Grijalva: This letter sets forth Department of Homeland Security (DHS) views with regard to H.R. 559, the ``Northern Mariana Islands Long-Term Legal Residents Relief Act.'' Thank you for seeking the Department's input on this new legislation. We appreciate the opportunity to review H.R. 559 as the Committee begins the legislative process in the 1st session of the 116th Congress. As you are aware, H.R. 559 would provide for the admission of certain aliens who are currently present in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and who had been parolees as CNMI residents. In doing so, the bill would establi
TRIBUTE TO JOYCE WOODHOUSE
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2019-6-3

today I rise to recognize a true Nevada public servant, State Senator Joyce Woodhouse. For over 50 years, Senator Woodhouse has been an education champion who has dedicated her life to ensuring that every child in Nevada has an opportunity to succeed. Senator Woodhouse will complete her final session of the Nevada Legislature on June 3, 2019, and her last term as senator at the end of next year. prgtoken Senator Joyce Woodhouse came to Las Vegas in 1966 for her first teaching position after graduating from Carroll College in her home State of Montana. She has dedicated her life and career to serving the children of Nevada since then. She was an elementary school teacher and principal at JM Ullom Elementary School before joining and eventually leading the Clark County School District's School Community Partnership Program. During her tenure, she sought to bring local businesses together in strategic partnerships to support Nevada's schools. prgtoken Senator Woodhouse was first elected to the Nevada Legislature in 2006. She has served the State in that capacity for nearly 12 years. She has led critical deliberations regarding the funding needs of the State as past chair of the Senate Education Committee and as current chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Her experience as a teacher and school administrator has given her a deep understanding of the needs of students, teachers, and parents, and that connection has inspired her throughout her career in public service. prgtoken Senator Woodhouse has been a fierce advocate for hard-working Nevadans in the State Senate. She helped broker compromises to secure as many resources as possible on behalf of students. She has fought for the health and well-being of our senior citizens, as well as the dignity and respect of our working families. Most recently, she was the lead advocate for ensuring all Nevadans have access to paid leave. prgtoken In addition to her commitment to our students, our schools, and all Nevadans as State senator, Senator Woodhouse has been a dedicated volunteer in our community. Before serving as a public servant, she was a vocal advocate for educators and the children prgtoken they teach as president of the Nevada State Education Association. She continued to lend her voice in many roles throughout the years, including treasurer and board member for Kids Voting Southern Nevada, and cochair of the Southern Nevada Science Education Consortium. While Senator Woodhouse closes this chapter of her career in public service, I have no doubt that she will continue to serve the people of Nevada for years to come. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and thanking Senator Woodhouse's lifelong commitment to public education. prgtoken Thank you, Senator Woodhouse, for all that you have done for our children, our schools, and the future of the great State of Nevada.
REMEMBERING LENORA LAPIDUS
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2019-6-3

as ranking member on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I wish to honor a public servant who established a remarkable legacy as a passionate champion for gender equality, Lenora Lapidus. prgtoken Lenora fought for the rights of all Americans. Over the course of her career, Lenora distinguished herself as a civil rights leader. She began working at the ACLU in 1988 as a summer intern and rose to serve as legal director of the ACLU of New Jersey and led the Women's Rights Project since 2001. At the ACLU, Lenora fought tirelessly in the courts on behalf of women and girls, winning cases that pushed us to respond to gender-based violence and ensured that combat positions in the military were open to all Americans, among many other cases. prgtoken Lenora was also a tireless champion for improving lives through policy. She played an important role in the Be HEARD Act, legislation I introduced this Congress along with many others, which is the first comprehensive plan to fight harassment in the workplace. Lenora made sure the fight for gender equality included all women, including low- wage workers whose stories are too often ignored or forgotten. Her legacy is a testament to the work and passion she brought to every fight against injustice. Lenora is irreplaceable, and her loss will be felt by all of us who worked with her. prgtoken I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing the life and important work of Lenora.