mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SALUTING BILL AND SUE WELSER FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO OUR NATION'S VETERANS
Bill Posey (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-10-9

I would like to take a moment to recognize Bill and Sue Welser for their leadership in the Space Coast Honor Flight program, which serves Florida's Brevard and Indian River County veterans. prgtoken Space Coast Honor Flight is a non-profit organization that honors our World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans by taking them to visit their war memorials in Washington, D.C. prgtoken A retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General, Bill first became involved with the Honor Flight Network when he volunteered to serve as a guardian for a WWII veteran on the local chapter's second flight. This moving experience led Bill to work with a small cadre of volunteers to develop and run what would eventually become Space Coast Honor Flight. Bill has served as the president of the organization for more than eight years. prgtoken Seeing the profound impact that Space Coast Honor Flight has had on our veterans, Bill's wife, Sue, joined the board and quickly became an integral part of all its activities. Sue serves as one of the veteran coordinators for the organization and is responsible for helping to create honor flight experiences for hundreds of veterans. prgtoken Bill and Sue have also tirelessly given their time to organizing Space Coast orientations, flight departure ceremonies, veterans' reunions, and luncheons across the Space and Treasure Coasts. They have spent countless hours visiting our veterans in nursing homes and hospitals. They have attended a number of funeral services for our veteran heroes--Space Coast Honor Flight is often the first to be called when our veteran families lose a loved one. prgtoken For the past eight years, Bill and Sue have been responsible for organizing, scheduling, and leading 52 flights, allowing 1,375 veterans to spend time at their war memorials in Washington, D.C. Bill has pat1icipated in every single flight. prgtoken One of the greatest privileges Katie and I have is greeting our veterans as they depart on their honor flight to our nation's capital or greeting them in Washington, D.C. as they arrive on the National Mall to visit their memorials. Our veterans' courage and service to the country has helped change the course of history and has protected America and the freedoms we hold dear. Hosting these honor flights is the least we can do to acknowledge their service, and I am thankful for the work that Bill and Sue have done to make these flights possible. prgtoken I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in saluting the passion, dedication, and commitment of Bill and Sue Welser. Their efforts and service honors our veterans each and every day and has been vital to the success of the Space Coast Honor Flight mission.
DESIGNATING THE UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE LOCATED AT 300 SOUTH FOURTH STREET IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AS THE ``DIANA E. MURPHY UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE''
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-10-9

I come to the floor to speak on two different subjects. The most important one is the first one: to thank a lot of people who helped me to chair and oversee the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. prgtoken I should have given this speech 72 hours ago, but I was in a hurry to get to the airport. So I am making up for lost time now. prgtoken As everyone knows, on Saturday the Senate confirmed Judge Brett Kavanaugh as our newest Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. I come to the floor to thank the Senate staff who helped to make that confirmation possible. prgtoken Senators don't always recognize their staff as much as we probably should, but I am proud of the work my staff accomplished over the last 3 months as we considered the nomination of Kavanaugh. They have worked very diligently on this confirmation process of our new Justice, and most of it was behind the scenes. They put in the long, long work hours required, and they did it 7 days a week, if needed. The chairman's team tackled the heavy workload before them, and I am tremendously grateful for all they did to make this nomination a success. prgtoken First, on my staff, I would like to recognize my Judiciary counsel staff director, Kolan Davis. Kolan's experience and sound judgment keeps me out of a lot of trouble. I value his counsel today, just as I have for the last 33 years that he has been on my staff. prgtoken By my side right here today is Mike Davis, the Judiciary Committee's chief counsel for nominations and also an Iowan. He graduated from the University of Iowa and Iowa Law. Mike brought the tenacity, diligence, and everything else that was needed to lead Kavanaugh's confirmation. prgtoken The permanent nomination unit for the Senate Judiciary Committee, working with Mike Davis, includes Lauren Mehler, Steve Kenny, Katharine Willey, and Jessica Vu. Each of them worked incredibly hard. They have worked hard on all nominations of lifetime appointments to the Federal judiciary and over a long period of time, not just on Kavanaugh. Their hard work is shown by the record number of judges the Senate has confirmed this Congress. I think the number is 67 so far, besides 2 Supreme Court Justices. I believe there are 41 on the calendar right now. prgtoken In addition to this team, Andrew Ferguson joined my staff to lead the team of special counsels to specifically assist with the Supreme Court nomination. Andrew led by example with his tireless work ethic and, of course, his legal talent. prgtoken I also want to thank special counsels Tyler Badgley, Lucas Croslow, Colleen Ernst, Megan McGlynn, and Collin White. This team read every word of Justice Kavanaugh's more than 500,000 pages from his time as an executive branch lawyer, the 307 opinions he authored on the DC Circuit Court, and all other documents relevant to his nomination. prgtoken Rachel Mitchell was part of this special counsel team, offering her expertise and many years o
DESIGNATING THE UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE LOCATED AT 300 SOUTH FOURTH STREET IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AS THE ``DIANA E. MURPHY UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE''
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-10-9

first I wish to thank my colleague and friend from Delaware, Senator Carper, for his friendship, leadership, and advocacy on this important piece of legislation. We worked closely together. prgtoken I rise in support of S. 2031, America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. prgtoken Every day, Americans depend on our Nation's water infrastructure systems. Clean water, flood control structures, working irrigation systems are all necessary for health, safety, and prosperity for our communities. prgtoken This legislation is going to authorize important water projects. It will maintain the navigability of inland waterways and coastal ports, increase water storage, and fix aging irrigation systems across the country. prgtoken It will create jobs. It will spur economic growth and give local leaders an increased say in the projects and the way the projects are prioritized. It will rebuild flood control systems. prgtoken This is the most significant drinking water legislation in decades. America's Water Infrastructure Act will cut Washington redtape; it will help grow the economy; and it will keep communities safe. prgtoken The legislation is good for all 50 States. It is bipartisan. It is bicameral. The legislation passed the Environment and Public Works Committee by a vote of 21 to 0. It passed the House by unanimous consent on a voice vote. prgtoken It has the support of a broad array of stakeholders, from the American Farm Bureau to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, to the National Association of Manufacturers, to the Family Farm Alliance. As a testament to just how broad the support is for this bill, both the American Petroleum Institute and the Sierra Club have endorsed its passage. We don't see that every day. prgtoken It is time to pass this important legislation and send it to President for his signature. I encourage all Senators to support cloture on this bill. prgtoken . Cloture Motion prgtoken THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state.
PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER SHOULD RETURN HOME EMPTY-HANDED
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-10-9

Pakistan's Foreign Minister was here this week to urge the White House to renew assistance to his country and plead for our help in talks with India. While I do not oppose open engagement with Pakistan, our position must be clear: Pakistan will not receive a dime of U.S. support if terrorists continue to live safely on their soil. For too long the opposite has been the case. Fortunately, President has disrupted the status quo and suspended most of the funding we give to Pakistan, specifically calling them out for their support to terrorism. But more should be done. prgtoken The continued violence in Afghanistan is directly the result of Pakistan's protection of the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other murderous terrorists in the region. After 9/11, U.S. and allied forces had defeated the extremists in Afghanistan. But Pakistan opened its doors to Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar, and the entire leadership of al-Qaeda and the Taliban. We know this because these terrorist thugs were found and killed in Pakistan. With Pakistani help, their terrorist networks were able to rebuild and launch an insurgency in Afghanistan that has killed thousands of Americans. prgtoken It is insulting that Pakistan's Foreign Minister comes to Washington and dares to lecture us for holding them to account. Just yesterday, another American was killed fighting extremists in Afghanistan. Our nation continues to sacrifice to bring peace to Afghanistan, while leaders of the Taliban enjoy the shelter of Pakistan. If the Foreign Minister was truly interested in restoring the relationship between our two countries, he would accept responsibility and acknowledge that countless terrorists still live inside Pakistan. His country has been the epicenter for extremism for decades, where extremists are still able to hold massive public rallies to incite young men to violence. This isn't conjecture, the evidence is well documented. prgtoken For example, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the founder of the U.S. and U.N.- designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, operates freely in Pakistan. Despite his role in the 2008 Mumbai attack, he leads public rallies and can raise money for extremists causes. Yet, Pakistan, including its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consistently defends Saeed and condemns U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Pakistan's Foreign Minister even claimed terrorist groups that target Pakistan have safe haven in Afghanistan under the U.S.'s watch. Yet it is Pakistani officials who somehow claim there is a ``good'' Taliban, while the U.S. makes no distinction. If the Foreign Minister wanted to earn our trust, his government could demonstrate good faith by taking action. This includes handing over Mr. Saeed, the leaders of the Taliban and Haqqani Network, and banning all extremist groups on its soil. But this is a fantasy. The hope that Pakistan would do the responsible thing ended a long time ago. prgtoken Now is the day of reckoning. All assistance t
CONSTITUENT COMMENTS ON SOBER LIVING HOME PROBLEMS
Dana Rohrabacher (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-10-9

I rise again regarding the hearing held by the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice on September 28, 2018 on the issue of sober living homes. At that hearing, I had the privilege of testifying at that hearing in support of my bill, H.R. 5724, to restore local oversight over sober living homes. As part of my testimony, I submitted to the Subcommittee letters from many of my constituents about problems with sober living homes caused by current federal law preventing appropriate local oversight. For the benefit of my colleagues and the American people, I include in the Record the second group of these constituent letters: In mid-February the home next door was sold to a LLC. The home was converted to a sober living home. I do not know how many men live at the facility but notice that new men are coming and going all day. There are different cars parked weekly. I hope none of these men have criminal backgrounds. Have cut down going outside the home. Stopped the evening walk. Have an ADT security system and installed motion lights all around the home. Initially they smoked cigarettes in the backyard and we lost all use of our backyard. On constant complaining to [REDACTED] they moved the smoking to the other side of the home. It did not help much as now they had begun to smoke e- cigarettes and vaping also. The smell in our home is terrible. We use Hepa filter air purifiers in the home. Keep half the home windows closed. Our home has become more of a prison. My husband and I have chronic multiple health issues. The smoke and e cigarette pollutants cause me to have a constant cough, irritated nose, burning eyes and sometimes headaches. I wear a N99 pollution mask all day in the home. I daily leave the home for a few hours to take the mask off. I also try to spend a night or two outside the home. When the symptoms get further aggravated I get checked by my Physician. I last visited him on August 31, 2018. It affects me more than my husband. These homes are built for single family use and not for group smoking and vaping. Our family room and sober living home family room is 10 feet apart. My husband and I are covered under the ADA, we are covered but not the facility and medical personnel we use. The addict should be covered under the ADA but why are the owners and medical personnel covered also. A few years back every residential neighborhood in Huntington Beach had a park and school. Today every residential neighborhood has a few sober living home/detox facilities. Schools are closing, and many parks are unsafe for children. Joti Ghuman, Huntington Beach, California.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-10-9

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, following leader remarks on Wednesday, October 10, Senator Schumer or his designee be recognized to make a motion to proceed to S.J. Res 63; further that the time until 11:30 a.m. be equally divided between the leaders or their designees for use on the joint resolution and message concurrently; further, that at 11:30 a.m all postcloture time on the motion to concur in the House amendments be considered expired and the motion to concur with further amendment be withdrawn; finally, that following the disposition of the motion to concur, all time on S.J. Res 63 be considered expired and the Senate vote on the joint resolution.
RECOGNITION OF REV. ALPHONSO WASHINGTON
Dave Brat (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-10-9

I rise to celebrate the 105th year of life of the Reverend Alphonso Washington. Rev. Washington was raised by his grandparents in Hume, Virginia. He attended the Mount Morris Primitive Baptist Church (later called Mount Morris Baptist Church), where his grandfather served as the pastor. He went to school while also working odd jobs to help his mother and stepfather. Beyond working on the family farm, he also took on plumbing and construction jobs. In November 1942, he received a letter from ``your uncle'' . . . Uncle Sam, stating Alphonso Washington had been drafted into the U.S. Army. He was sent to Fort Meade, MD, for about a week, and then traveled by train to the new Air Navigation School in San Marcos, Texas. The U.S. Army was still segregated at that time, and while the white barracks had been built on the new base, there were no black barracks yet. He and his fellow soldiers slept on the train and then in tents until the black barracks were completed. prgtoken Since there were no black chaplains, and he had preaching experience, Alphonso was assigned to the base Chaplain Corp. It was during this timeframe Rev. Washington made a truly risky stand for God. While praying for troops that were heading out to war, a new Chaplain Officer, Major Dunn, stated: ``I will not swear to you there is a God, because I have not seen Him. . . .'' Thinking those troops definitely needed their faith strengthened, not reduced, Private First Class Washington stood up and challenged the Major regarding God's existence. For this, he was charged with insubordination, and ``blackballed'' from promotion in lieu of Court Marshall. After the war, Rev. Washington remained in the San Marcos area for nearly 60 years with his first wife, Rosa Mae. prgtoken When Rev. Washington moved back to Virginia in the early 2000s, he returned to Mount Morris Baptist Church and served as an associate minister, traveling to preach in local churches, perform marriages, funerals, and counseling. He was later appointed to the position of Senior Statesman, where he continues to serve through preaching, committee appointments, the Sunday School Conference, the Women's Auxiliary and Ministers and Deacons Conference. In 2002, he married his current wife and former secretary of the church, Carol Whitmore. prgtoken In 2009, he wrote an autobiography called, ``All in God's Time'' and has held book signings and been the keynote speaker throughout Fauquier and Culpeper Counties. The book contains his memoirs from his early days in Hume through his marriage to Carol at the time he wrote the book. He has served as an American Legion Chaplain since 1946 and has been preaching the Word of God for over 83 years. Rev. Washington and his wife Carol currently reside in Culpeper, VA. I'm happy to honor Rev. Alphonso Washington on 105 years of life and know he will continue to do great things.
DESIGNATING THE UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE LOCATED AT 300 SOUTH FOURTH STREET IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AS THE ``DIANA E. MURPHY UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE''
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-10-9

well, now that the Senate has concluded its very divisive debate about the Supreme Court, it is time to talk about the No. 1 issue to the American people: healthcare. We begin that debate tomorrow, when the Senate will take up a ic motion to repeal the administration's effort to expand short-term insurance plans. prgtoken Let me be clear. These so-called short-term plans are junk insurance. Short-term plans are junk insurance. People who buy them are going to be extremely disappointed because they bait the consumer in with low prices but hardly cover anything. They might not cover maternity care, mental health care, prescription drugs--you name it. Even worse, the plans draw consumers out of the health insurance market, making it more expensive for everyone else to purchase insurance, especially more expensive for those with preexisting conditions. prgtoken That is why so many prominent patient and consumer groups have filed a lawsuit against the administration's rule to expand these junk plans. Groups like the American Cancer Society, the AARP, the Lung Association, the Diabetes Association, and others that represent millions of Americans with preexisting conditions have clearly said that this is sabotage--sabotage--of the insurance market and will drive up costs for millions of Americans. prgtoken So Senator Baldwin has introduced a CRA disapproval resolution--a resolution brought under the Congressional Review Act--to repeal this fundamentally misguided policy from the administration. All of my colleagues should vote for this, but I suspect my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have a different idea because ever since taking control of Congress and the Presidency, s have deliberately, relentlessly undermined Americans' healthcare. prgtoken This particular policy is part of a long campaign to sabotage our healthcare system. Remember, nearly every was silent when President canceled the program that helped low-income Americans afford insurance. Remember, every was silent when President directed his administration to stop helping Americans sign up for the right policy. Remember, nearly every was silent when President 's Justice Department refused to defend protections for preexisting conditions. A large number of attorneys general--some running for the Senate right now--were part of the administration's efforts to say it is just fine to get rid of protections for those with preexisting conditions. Remember, nearly every voted to gut Medicaid, raise premiums on older Americans, repeal protections for Americans with preexisting conditions, and move us toward a future where 20 million fewer Americans have healthcare. Remember, every single voted to repeal the coverage requirement and cause premiums to be much higher this year than they needed to be. prgtoken So Americans,
RECOGNIZING INTERNATIONAL PLASMA AWARENESS WEEK
Doris O. Matsui (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-10-9

``How is Your Day?'' For all of us, this is an ordinary question we ask others--and are asked by others--every day. But for so many people prgtoken around the world living with rare diseases and who rely on the availability of plasma protein therapies, no day is ordinary. prgtoken On October 8 to 12, 2018, across the United States and throughout the world, patients, plasma donors and plasma collection centers will join together to observe International Plasma Awareness Week (IPAW). There will be events to raise global awareness of the crucial need for plasma to create lifesaving therapies, recognize that plasma donors contribute greatly in saving and improving lives, and increase understanding of the many rare diseases and plasma protein therapies that help to treat them. prgtoken Plasma-derived therapies and recombinant blood clotting factors, collectively known as plasma protein therapies, are unique, biologic medicines that are either infused or injected to treat a variety of rare, life-threatening, chronic, and genetic diseases including bleeding disorders, hereditary angioedema, immune deficiencies, pulmonary disorders, neurological disorders, shock and trauma, liver cirrhosis, and infectious diseases such as tetanus, hepatitis, and rabies. prgtoken Plasma-derived therapies save and improve lives of individuals throughout the world, including in emergency and surgical medicine. Plasma protein therapies have significantly improved the quality of life, markedly improved patient outcomes, and extended the life expectancy of individuals with rare, chronic diseases and conditions. prgtoken Healthy, committed donors provide the plasma essential to manufacture these lifesaving therapies; and there are now approximately 700 plasma collection centers in the U.S. that have demonstrated their commitment to plasma donor and patient safety and quality by earning International Quality Plasma Program (IQPP) certification. prgtoken I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join me and rise in commemoration of International Plasma Awareness Week, honoring those committed donors and collection centers who make and collect needed and lifesaving contributions.