mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Andrew S. Clyde (Republican, GA) \u2014 2024-6-13

I rise today in support of my amendment which relocates the reconciliation monument, sometimes referred to as the Reconciliation Memorial, back to its original location in Arlington National Cemetery. I am very grateful for the support of Chairman Rogers on this amendment. prgtoken Under the direction of President , the Reconciliation Memorial was removed on December 18, 2023. This monument in Arlington was a powerful symbol of the healing and unification of our Nation after the deep divisions of the Civil War. prgtoken American leaders like President Abraham Lincoln and Union General Ulysses Grant knew that a divided nation could not stand, and they tirelessly worked on promoting reconciliation. prgtoken In 1898, following the end of the Mexican-American War, President McKinley undertook a process to create greater national unity. In 1906, President McKinley authorized the construction of the Reconciliation Memorial. Unveiled in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson, this monument, designed by a Jewish-American sculptor, features a woman crowned with an olive wreath symbolizing peace. prgtoken For over a century, Presidents of both parties have understood the purpose of this memorial of reconciliation and have honored it by sending wreaths to the monument. This tradition showing national unity and respect has been carried on regardless of the party or politics of the sitting President. Even President understood the reconciliation monument in the context of what it stands for, unity not division, when he continued the Presidential tradition of sending a wreath to the monument. In doing so, Presidents have continued to emphasize the message of this monument, reconciliation and unity, not division. prgtoken Former Senator Jim Webb, a highly decorated Marine Corps officer and former Secretary of the Navy, has strongly supported the preservation of the Reconciliation Memorial because the monument is one of the most potent symbols of healing in our Nation and across the globe. prgtoken ic Senator Webb has said that the statue's removal would signify the desire of ``a deteriorating society willing to erase the generosity of its past, in favor of bitterness and misunderstanding conjured up by those who do not understand the history they seem bent on destroying.'' prgtoken Now, I would like to share a little of this monument's history. prgtoken When this monument was originally dedicated back in 1914, Reverend Dr. McKim pronounced these words within his invocation: And as the blue and the gray mingle their dust on this consecrated hill, may the men of the North and the men of the South join hands and hearts in the labors and sacrifices which must be undertaken in the years to come for the honor, the happiness, and the glory of our country. Grant also, O Lord, that this monument may stand as a perpetual memorial of the reconciliation between the
RECOGNIZING THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF EVAPCO, INC. IN MADERA COUNTY
John S. Duarte (Republican, CA) \u2014 2024-6-13

I rise today to recognize the momentous occasion of Evapco's 45th anniversary and the significant completion of the Sierra building expansion in 2024. prgtoken Evapco is a global industry-leading manufacturing company with global resources and solutions for worldwide heat transfer applications, it is employee owned, and was founded in the United Slates. Evapco launched its second U.S. manufacturing company in Madera, California, in 1979, and now employs more than 234 individuals. prgtoken Evapco's expansion in Madera County has not only created more jobs in the congressional district that I represent but is also a testament to my constituents' dedication and hard work. It also has bolstered Evapco's production capabilities and will help it meet growing demand for advanced cooling solutions in our community, the Central Valley of California, and beyond. prgtoken My constituents enjoy working for Evapco as it follows the vision of ``one global team, united to be universally recognized as the superior provider of a full spectrum of heat transfer solutions.'' And its commitment to teamwork has enabled its employees--my constituents--to excel. It is a team their employees and customers alike can count on for a lifetime. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating Evapco's 45th anniversary in California and recognizing its success in expanding in my district to produce innovative water-saving, ``Eco-Air'' dry-cooling products, which will improve the quality of life of my constituents, Californians, and communities around the world.
CONGRESSIONAL AWARD GOLD MEDALISTS
Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican, WY) \u2014 2024-6-13

today I wish to congratulate this year's winners of the Congressional Award. The Congressional Award was established by Congress in 1979 and, for many years, has recognized the spectacular achievements of young people in the areas of volunteerism, personal development, fitness, and expedition. prgtoken The brilliant design of this program allows individuals to set their own prgtoken goals based on personal interest and work toward either a bronze, silver, or gold certificate or medal. It is incredible to see what young people can achieve when they are personally invested in setting and achieving their goals. I am impressed to hear of the combined impact and can only imagine the overwhelming benefits to communities across the country. prgtoken It is a privilege to recognize the great work of this year's recipients. I urge these young people to continue aiming high and setting a positive example for their peers. prgtoken I include in the Record a list of this year's Congressional Award Gold Medalists from around the country: Alaska: Madeline Anderson Alabama: Amanda Browning, Lily Hoyle Arkansas: Abigail Catron Arizona: Billal Abulfotuh, Adelina Grotenhuis, Thomasina (Tamsin) Hurlbut, Zaid Jamal, Timothy Jiang, Payton Kelly, Ronald (Ronnie) Keyes, Shea Lee, Colin Lifshitz, Mustafa Nalbantoglu, Zack Okun, Borislava Panayotova, Cutter Papritz, Sofia Reyes, Alyson Small, Elyzabeth Small, Mason Takeuchi, Ivanna Viloria Enciso California: Annika Agarwal, Nathaniel Arrogante, Emin Aslan, Shijoon Bae, Adrian Baek, Zoey Bahng, Brianna Bailey, Pravin Balasingam, Daniel Bang, Naim Bayraktar, Wolfram Bikel, Lachlan Black, Reenie Cao, Tenzing Carvalho, Hyunwoo Cha, Olivia Cha, Ethan Chang, David Chang, Shruti Chari, Mina Chen, Steven Cheng, Hemkesh Chenupati, Emilie Chi, Alexander Chiao, Jamie Cho, Jessica Cho, Nathan Cho, Nagyung (Anna) Cho, Rosa Cho, Michelle Cho, Mason Choey, Ellie Choi, Minjoon Choi, Samuel Choi, Sophia Chou, Taylor Chu, Chloe Chung, Brandon Chung, Hatice Sevde Deniz, Diya Dipak, Claire Dokko, Elliot Dokko, Jason Dong, Feodora Douplitzky-Lunati, Renee Duan, Azra Erdogan, Madeleine Freeland, Aarushi Ghildyal, Xinyue (Cindy) Gong, Sophie Gopen, Amita Gowda, Radhika Goyal, Athena Guan, Aaron Han, Paul Han, Junhyeok Han, Yahya Hasan, Xihao He, Qingchun He, Dia Hemanth, Katherine Hion, Evan Ho, Jeongmin Hong, Eric Hong, Ian Hong, Daniel Hong, Yixian Huang, Celine Huh, Cat-Tam Huynh, Jung Jin Hwang, Priscilla Ibarra, Nolan Ironhill, Carter Jackson, Ria Jain, Hanlee Jang, Shriya Janolkar, Jaeyoung (Ryan) Jeon, Ella Jeon, Minhyeok Jeong, Noah Jeong, Eliana Jeong, Benjamin Jiang, Claire Jin, Jaehee Jung, Jessica Jung, Heidi Jung, Hailey Jiwon Kang, Shreyas Kapavarapu, Garrett Kath, Sudhakhar Katta, Ava Khossravi, Julian Kim
6/14/2017--A DAY OF INFAMY IN AMERICA
Roger Williams (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-6-13

I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is special to be here tonight, and I thank my friend for calling us together to remember this day. prgtoken To me, it is like it was yesterday. I got up that morning just like we all did, got ready, and went to practice. My situation was that I was hitting ground balls to Trent Kelly. I finished with Trent and went around and started hitting balls. I said to Scalise: ``I am coming at you.'' prgtoken I remember I threw the ball up, and as soon as I hit it with the bat to Scalise, a shot went off. Little did I know that the shooter was probably 30 feet or 20 feet behind me. I did not know that. A shot went off, and Trent Kelly yelled: ``He has got a gun. Head for cover: prgtoken When he said that, my instincts told me to get to the dugout. Fortunately for all of us, the dugouts were dugouts. They were dug into the ground, not like today where they are flat. prgtoken I remember I ran to the dugout and jumped, and it was like jumping into a swimming pool with no water. I remember as I was in the air heading into the dugout, what went through my mind was: I am not surprised because of the anger we have up here. prgtoken When I hit the dugout, I slid all the way on the concrete to the dugout and slid into the arms of two of my teammates, Jeff Flake and Mo Brooks. We three were in the corner, and as Brad said, this guy was firing. There were actually some shells going into the dugout. prgtoken Two of the coaches, Larry Hardy and Donnie Watson, were in that dugout. We were all trying to stay away from the action. prgtoken Out of nowhere came my aide who worked for me and who came with me to every batting practice, Zach Barth, and Zach had been in center field shagging balls. prgtoken When the shooting started, he ran to the right-field foul pole to get as far away as he could from the shooter, but the shooter followed him and shot at him 10 times and missed him. Zach decided the only way he was going to stay alive was to get to the dugout, and he ran to the dugout. prgtoken During that running from the right-field line to the dugout, he got shot in the leg. He dove into the dugout, as I did, not knowing I was there. He dove into the dugout and dove right into my arms. At that moment, you had a bonding of a 67-year-old man and a 24-year-old kid. I held him in my arms, and he was saying: ``I'm hit, I'm hit.'' prgtoken Mo Brooks, Jeff Flake, and I were there. We didn't know what to do. We didn't have the experience that Dr. Wenstrup and others had had, but God kicked in. Mo Brooks removed his belt, and we tightened it around his leg to stop the bleeding. We all hunkered down. prgtoken Then we heard that Scalise was down. We couldn't see it. We were in the dugout, but we heard that Steve had been hit. prgtoken These shots were going off, and we didn't hear anything from the Capitol Police. In our situation, we thought they had probably been killed. We decided if this guy came around where
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Ralph Norman (Republican, SC) \u2014 2024-6-13

. Mr. Chair, the numbers of those willing to serve in the military are now down over 30 percent. The military's sole purpose is to provide for the defense of our great Nation. Our military's focus should be the protection of the American people and our freedoms, not liberals' feelings. prgtoken Therefore, my amendment would eliminate any offices of DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion, in the Armed Forces and in the DOD. We should focus on diversity of ideas and opinions, not races and genders. prgtoken DEI programs tend to be ineffective and cost the taxpayers more money, and it has been a very real detriment to the recruitment of our military. prgtoken In short order, a woke military is a weak military. Woke ideology undermines military readiness in various ways. It undermines the cohesiveness by emphasizing differences based on race, ethnicity, and sex. It undermines leadership authority by introducing questions about whether a promotion is based on merit or quota requirements. It leads to military personnel serving in specialties and areas for which they are not qualified nor are they ready. It takes time and resources away from training activities and weapons development that contribute to readiness. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
HONORING JOE COATES
Nancy Mace (Republican, SC) \u2014 2024-6-13

I rise today to congratulate the Dorchester County Consolidated Dispatch Center on its remarkable strides to improving 911 response times amid our community's rapid growth, particularly this week when we had a tornado hit Dorchester County. prgtoken This state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our local officials and emergency services personnel who tirelessly strive to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our residents. prgtoken I would like to extend a special recognition to Tristan Proctor, director of Dorchester County Emergency Management, and Mario Formisano, deputy administrator for Public Safety for Dorchester County. Their leadership and vision have been instrumental in addressing the challenges facing the old facility, which was not built to withstand significant tropical storm-force winds or seismic activities, and it also lacked adequate space. prgtoken I commend the leadership of Dorchester County for their vision and their commitment to public safety. Honoring the Life and Legacy of Johnny Wactor
U.S. Supreme Court (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-6-13

I want to join my friend and colleague from South Dakota in decrying the relentless smear campaign that is being directed at the Supreme Court of the United States. prgtoken Of course, many of these attacks have come from expected sources-- liberal activist groups and people, for example, who leaked the Justices addresses so protests could occur on their lawns, lodging threats against these judges and their families--all because they disagreed with the decisions that the Court has made in one case or another. prgtoken And, of course, there is one instance where a person who was determined to assassinate Justice Kavanaugh was thankfully stopped by law enforcement. That demonstrates the dangerousness of some of these political attacks against the Court. prgtoken Sadly, these aggressors aren't limited to a small group of outsiders though. Attacks are being waged by elected Members of Congress. Some men and women in this building have sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution but have repeatedly targeted the Court over supposed ethics concerns. prgtoken Last year, 15 of our ic colleagues recommended slashing the Supreme Court's budget, which actually would be unconstitutional, but they threatened to slash the Supreme Court's budget if it failed to meet their demand to implement a code of ethics which they had proscribed. prgtoken A few years ago, five of our ic colleagues threatened the Court could be restructured if it failed to rule a certain way in a case involving the Second Amendment. prgtoken And, of course, we can't forget the time when the majority leader, the Senator from New York, stood on the front steps of the Supreme Court and threatened two Justices by name if they didn't reach a preferred ruling in an abortion case. prgtoken Well, these are unprecedented attacks against the Court. They are inappropriate at best, and they are unconstitutional at worst. They show a complete lack of respect for the three separate but equal branches of government that comprise our constitutional Republic. prgtoken And they know that, but they are using these attacks to undermine public confidence in the Court. prgtoken They demonstrate a willingness to do whatever it takes to secure a partisan win, even if that means shredding the U.S. Constitution and undermining the separation of powers. prgtoken The partisan political attacks on the Supreme Court have varied, but the underlying objective has always been the same. It is about control. It is about power. prgtoken want to control the institution, control the Justices, and, thus, direct the outcomes. In other words, they want to make the judicial branch not an independent branch of government--a nonpolitical branch. They want to make it another political branch of government because they don't like some of the outcomes that the courts have decided. prgtoken Forget fair and impartial courts. That is not their objective. They wan
RECOGNIZING AND COMMEMORATING THE SERVICE OF BALRAM "B" BHEODARI
Nikema Williams (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2024-6-14

I rise today to recognize and commemorate Balram Bheodari, a constituent of Georgia's Fighting Fifth Congressional District who was instrumental to the success and growth of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. prgtoken Known to everyone in Atlanta as ``B,'' he brought the sense of duty forged during his time as an Army aviator to his 22 years of service to the airport. As General Manager for prgtoken Hartsfield-Jackson, he was pivotal in the airport's growth and its recognition as the world's busiest and most efficient airport. prgtoken Under B's leadership the airport completed numerous major capital projects, making use of transformative investments totaling billions of dollars and positioning Hartsfield-Jackson as the model of success for all large airport hubs across the nation. B oversaw pivotal projects such as the creation of the airport's fifth runway, the Consolidated Rental Car Center, the Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal--the most extensive hold baggage screening system in the country, and countless other terminal renovation projects. prgtoken B's expertise in the airport and aviation space has been invaluable as he and I worked closely to deliver future projects through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to continue to grow Atlanta's airport. prgtoken But it's not just the billions of dollars he helped deliver to the airport that made B a great General Manager, it was B's leadership and the ability to reinforce his mission and vision to over 63,000 employees at Hansfield-Jackson and the 400,000 jobs supported by the airport. His mission was to bring all those directly or indirectly employed to see themselves as one team, delivering excellence while connecting our community to the world. prgtoken During unprecedented times like the COVID-19 pandemic, B's leadership and management were critical. He weathered the operational and commercial challenges that came with the pandemic through close coordination with airline partners and his team. B understood what made Hartsfield-Jackson the busiest and most efficient airport in the world was a commitment to an excellent customer experience. He delivered on that even through the challenges of a global pandemic. prgtoken His philosophy centered around three P's: ``People, Purpose, and Performance.'' B's philosophy helped make Hartsfield-Jackson the largest employer in the state of Georgia and contributed to a regional economic impact of 66 billion dollars. Numbers can't tell the whole story of B's impact, and for the past two years, Hartsfield-Jackson has been awarded the ACI-Airport Service Quality award for the Best Airport in the world for arrivals. prgtoken Today, I honor and celebrate B's service, commitment and contribution to the Fighting Fifth, and while I will miss our conversations and his physical presence in the airport, I want it to be known in the halls of Congress that our success in the district was made possible
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2024-6-14

. Mr. Chair, I thank the ranking member for allowing me to speak on my amendment. It is a bipartisan amendment expressing the sense of Congress that we should not permanently store nuclear waste near the Great Lakes. prgtoken My amendment responds to the Government of Canada's recent plans to build a facility that would permanently hold thousands of tons of high- level nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin, the greatest source of freshwater known to mankind. prgtoken Permanently storing hazardous nuclear waste so close to our Great Lakes does not make any sense at all. A potential accident involving nuclear waste would threaten the drinking water of millions of people in the United States and Canada and jeopardize thousands of jobs in the fishing, boating, and tourism industries. prgtoken Surely, absolutely, there must be a safer location to permanently store radioactive waste than adjacent to the world's greatest source of freshwater. prgtoken My amendment, which is included in this en bloc, has strong bipartisan support, and it would be an important step in protecting the Great Lakes. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this en bloc.
HONORING THE SERVICE OF CHIEF MARCUS JONES
David J. Trone (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2024-6-14

today I rise before you to honor the remarkable tenure of Montgomery County Department of Police Chief, Marcus Jones and celebrate his well-earned retirement. For nearly four decades, Chief Jones has dedicated his career to enhancing public safety and fostering positive relationships within our community. prgtoken Appointed as Chief in November of 2019, Chief Jones has demonstrated unwavering commitment and leadership. He began his career with the Department in September of 1985, working his way up the ranks, including serving as the Assistant Chief of the Investigative Services Bureau, Commander of the 3rd District, Director of Major Crimes, and Drug Enforcement Commander. prgtoken Chief Jones has been instrumental in implementing innovative policing strategies and ensuring the safety and security of Montgomery County residents. His efforts have been recognized by his induction into the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame in 2020. As a member of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Maryland Chiefs Association, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and the International Association Chiefs of Police (IACP), Chief Jones' decades-long effort to improve the lives of his officers and the Marylanders they have sworn to protect is appreciated by countless members of his community. prgtoken It is a privilege to acknowledge Chief Marcus Jones' service and dedication as he embarks on his next chapter. His legacy will inspire future leaders and continue to benefit the Montgomery County community for years to come.
RECOGNIZING JOHN MOORE'S RETIREMENT
Joseph D. Morelle (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-6-14

I rise today to celebrate the distinguished career of John Moore, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), who will retire at the end of June after twelve years of dedicated service to the university. prgtoken Mr. Moore oversees the management and maintenance of every building, and open space, on the RIT campus and he works tirelessly to ensure they meet the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and sustainability. prgtoken Over his tenure, Mr. Moore managed many notable projects that aided in the steady growth and rapid expansion of RIT's campus. These projects included the construction of the 4,150 seat Gene Polisseni Center, the RIT Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity (MAGIC) Center, MAGIC Spell Studios, and, most recently, the completion of the one-of-a-kind Student Hall for Exploration and Development. Mr. Moore has truly embodied the spirit of dedication to RIT's students, teachers, and community. prgtoken It is my pleasure to congratulate John Moore on his retirement and join the entire RIT community in wishing him the best of luck in all future endeavors.
HONORING JUAN JOSE "JOHNNY" CANALES
Joaquin Castro (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2024-6-14

I rise to honor Juan Jose ``Johnny'' Canales, a legend of Tejano music, who died on Thursday at the age of 77. prgtoken Johnny was a champion for civil rights, an advocate for veterans, and a musician in his own right, but he was best known as the host of the ``Johnny Canales Show,'' a bilingual variety show that ran for decades in the United States and Latin America. prgtoken It helped launch the careers of countless Tejano stars, including Selena Quintanilla, who made one of her live TV performances on the show in 1985. prgtoken To his loyal fans, Johnny was best known for his catch phrase: ``You got it, take it away,'' the words of encouragement he would share with all the performers who joined him on stage. prgtoken Johnny, you will always be remembered, especially among your loyal fans in south Texas. Johnny, ``rest in peace,'' ``que descanse en paz.''