mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO DR. W. MARK DONALD
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-11-7

I am pleased to commend Dr. W. Mark Donald, who has been elected as speaker of the House of Delegates for the American Dental Association, where he will serve a 3-year term. Dr. Donald has long been a leader in the dental community in Mississippi, and I look forward to seeing his success in this position with the American Dental Association, ADA. prgtoken A native of Louisville, MS, Dr. Donald graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry in 1988. Following graduation, he completed his general practice residency program with the VA Medic Center and the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry in Jackson, MS. In 1990, Dr. Donald opened his general dentistry practice in Louisville, MS. For three decades, Dr. Donald has been very active in the dental community in Mississippi. He has served as speaker, president, and as an ADA delegate for the Mississippi Dental Association. In addition, he served as speaker and president of the Academy of General Dentistry and as president of the Academy of General Dentistry Foundation. His other experience includes serving as a member of the ADA Council on Dental Practice in 2018; as chair, vice chair, secretary/treasurer, and parliamentarian of the ADA 5th District; and as Mississippi Mission of Mercy Project chair in 2011, 2013, and 2019. Since 2015, Dr. Donald has taught the next generation of Mississippi dentists as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry. In 2017, Governor Phil Bryant appointed Dr. Donald to serve on the Mississippi Board of Dental Examiners, where he still currently serves. prgtoken Dr. Donald's contributions, dedicated service, and commitment to excellence have made a difference for dentists and dental patients across my State. In his new role serving as speaker of the House of Delegates for the American Dental Association, I believe he will continue to commit himself to bettering the dental profession and improving the lives of patients across the nation. prgtoken , Mississippi is extremely proud to have Dr. Mark Donald serving as speaker of the House of Delegates for the American Dental Association. He has my appreciation and gratitude for all he has done for the great state of Mississippi. I wish Dr. Donald, and his family, all the best in their future endeavors.
PRAYER
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-11-7

. Let us pray. prgtoken Almighty God, Creator of all, as we gather here today, we are grateful for the servicemembers who are deployed in the defense of our great Nation under God. We ask for Your comfort for the families who continue their duties at home with the courage to maintain the homefront in the absence of their loved ones. prgtoken Protect our service men and women with the shield of Your strength as they discharge their sacred mission, and keep them safe from all evil and harm. May the power of Your love enable them to return home in safety, that with all who love them, they may ever praise You for Your loving care. prgtoken Assist with Your spirit of counsel and fortitude for the President and other government leaders of these United States. May they always seek the ways of righteousness, justice, and mercy. Grant that they may be enabled by Your powerful protection to lead our country with honesty and integrity. prgtoken Lord, we know all too well our weak and infallible human nature, and we recognize that the work which lies before us is demanding and complex. Yet, O God, I thank You for calling us to this difficult and rewarding work. prgtoken Lead our troops and all of us, O Lord, in the way of peace. Unite us in the spirit of service. prgtoken We pray these things in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
VETERANS DAY
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2019-11-7

on this Veterans Day 2019, I wish to pay tribute to all veterans and thank them for their service. The freedoms we enjoy in America today are because of them. prgtoken For more than 200 years, our veterans have fought across the globe defending our freedoms, while their families waited and worried at home. Thanks to them, the forces of tyranny and oppression have been turned back and defeated time and again. prgtoken As Americans across the Nation come together on Veterans Day, I will be participating in a program in Fargo, prgtoken one of many being held in communities across North Dakota. Next Wednesday in Williston, several military organizations and Williston State College will sponsor a presentation by Medal of Honor recipient SSG Clinton Romesha. prgtoken As one of only 3,507 recipients in American history to receive this honor, Staff Sergeant Romesha was the fourth living Medal of Honor recipient for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. It was presented in 2013 for his heroism during the Battle of Kamdesh in October 2009, a 12-hour battle that was significant in the Global War on Terrorism. prgtoken During this intense attack by some 300 Taliban fighters, despite his own shrapnel wounds, Romesha continued to fight. His actions helped mount a successful counterattack that eliminated Taliban machine guns and allowed for wounded soldiers to be taken to an aid station. prgtoken In his bestselling memoir, ``Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor,'' published in 2013, Romesha shares the account of the Battle of Kamdesh and how one person can make a difference against seemingly impossible odds. prgtoken Now a resident of Minot, ND, he travels extensively as a motivational speaker, sharing the message about how the capacity for leadership and bravery resides within everyone. prgtoken I commend Williston State College and its Foundation, the Williston Basin Chapter of the American Petroleum Institute, Williston Post 37 of the American Legion, Military Affairs Committee, VFW-Post 12169, and Williston Chapter 9 of the Disabled American Veterans for bringing this inspirational message by a true hero to their community. prgtoken , on this Veterans Day, may we be reminded to be thankful every day for all who serve our country. May God bless all veterans and their families. They are all heroes.
Defense Appropriations (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-11-7

on Tuesday morning, I visited with Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. We talked about the military's needs and national security priorities, and we talked about the fact that more than a month into the new fiscal year, Congress still hasn't funded the military for fiscal year 2020. We shouldn't have needed to talk about that. We should have passed the Defense appropriations bill for 2020 weeks ago, but won't let us. prgtoken Last week, blocked consideration of the 2020 Defense appropriations bill for the second time. Apparently they have every intention of continuing to block military funding. This is politics at its worst. And make no mistake--this is politics. A couple of months ago, and s got together and agreed on defense and nondefense funding levels for 2020 and 2021. The idea was to pave the way for the passage of appropriations bills in a timely fashion. It seemed for a moment that despite ' fixation on partisan politics and impeachment, we could actually go about funding the government and the military in a somewhat bipartisan fashion, but apparently that was too much to ask of the Senate . Senate are currently running from the agreement, attempting to derail the defense funding bill with poison pills that would prevent the bill from ever being enacted into law. prgtoken Funding our military should be the first priority of every Member of Congress. The safety of our country depends on the strength of our military. If we don't get national security right, the rest is conversation. Getting national security right means making sure our military is adequately funded, making sure we are funding the needs of the current military and preparing for future priorities. It should go without saying that an essential part of this responsibility is getting that funding passed in a timely fashion. prgtoken Right now, since we haven't passed the 2020 funding bill, the military is operating under a continuing resolution that maintains funding levels from last year. There are multiple problems with that. prgtoken In the first place, the military is operating without all the funding it needs. For example, the Pentagon can't fully support the pay increase military members should be getting. prgtoken In addition, the continuing resolution prevents the military from starting key projects that will help ensure our men and women in uniform are prepared to meet the threats of the future. The Pentagon can't start new procurement projects. New research and development initiatives that keep us a step ahead of our adversaries are put on hold. prgtoken All told, under a continuing resolution, the military's purchasing power is reduced by roughly $5 billion each quarter. Five billion dollars each quarter that we continue to operate under a continuing resolution is the amount of purchasing power that is lost to our military to meet their critical prior
Barker House (Executive Session)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-11-7

I would like to take this opportunity to talk about something positive that is happening in Ohio with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. prgtoken The Army Corps is involved with some civic-minded community volunteers in something that will help preserve our history in Ohio. It wouldn't be happening but for the vision of the head of the Army Corps, Mr. R.D. James, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. It is a good-news project regarding the preservation of an important piece of the history of the Northwest Territory and my home State of Ohio. It is called the Barker House. It is a historic home that dates back almost 200 years. It was built by the owner's father, who was a Revolutionary War officer and a famous early settler and pioneer architect in Ohio. A number of historic homes of his were built along the Ohio River, and this is one of them that is still left standing. Colonel Joseph Barker, Sr was his name, and he is one of our most famous early pioneers in Ohio. prgtoken The House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 for its historic significance. In fact, Joseph Barker, Sr and the houses he built play an important role in a new, award-winning book by the great historian David McCullough, ``The Pioneers,'' and it tells the story of the Northwest Territory and the founding of Ohio in the wake of the Revolutionary War. In ``The Pioneers'' book, Colonel Barker's stately homes were an anomaly out on the frontier. His own home was described as ``a large, brick house in the Federal style, with a handsome front door, flanked by recessed side windows and an elliptical fanlight overhead. . . . [O]nce completed the whole house was painted white, and soon became, as intended, a `distinguished seat of hospitality.''' prgtoken This also describes the historic Barker House we are trying to preserve. prgtoken These houses brought a level of architectural refinement that stood in sharp contrast to the log cabins on the rugged landscape where these pioneers were settling. prgtoken The Barker House is currently owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is owned by them because it sits right next to the Willow Island Locks and Dam on the Ohio River. The house was used as office space by the Corps back in the 1960s, and today, the house is still standing. It is vacant, in bad shape, and unsafe to enter, but it is savable. prgtoken I visited this historic Barker House back in September of 2018. I learned then that the Corps was proposing to demolish the Barker House. They then considered a proposal to move it brick by brick to a new location off of Army Corps' land. Neither made sense. prgtoken That is when I met Jack Haessly, who led a group--along with Wesley Clarke, Bill Reynolds, Bob Ferguson, and others--a local Barker House friends group who said they would be willing to raise the money to restore this home on its historic site overlooking the Oh
Vote on Rudofsky Nomination (Executive Session)
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-11-7

reserving the right to object. prgtoken I thank the ic leader for his concerns about the defeat of ISIS. If there is one thing I hope we can all agree on, it is that Turkey is not our ally or friend right now. Turkey's invasion of Syria is benefiting ISIS, Iran, and Russia, and hurting our great ally, Israel. prgtoken The United States must stand up for our partners, the Kurds, who helped us fight ISIS. I am hopeful the ceasefire will last, keeping American soldiers and our partners, the Kurds, safe. Nobody wants our men and women in uniform involved in unnecessary, extended military conflicts. prgtoken Bringing our troops home is a goal we all share. In order to achieve that goal, we need to have a fuller understanding of the crisis in Syria and what got us there--with the hope our troops can finally come home. prgtoken I also agree that the President should always be clear with Congress on where all U.S. troops are located and the purpose of their deployment. Unfortunately, my colleague's proposal would produce a report that only tells a small part of the story. prgtoken In the name of transparency and a fuller understanding of how we got here, I am proposing a modification to my colleague's bill to require a report that includes information on President 's plan for Syria. prgtoken We didn't get here overnight. The ic leader knows that. He said himself it took us 5 years to get here. So I think we all would like to see what the strategy--or lack of strategy--was from the last administration that put us in this position today. Let's get all the facts on the table so lawmakers in Congress and Americans all across the country can have all the information we need to keep Americans and our allies safe. prgtoken , therefore, I ask that the ic leader modify his request to include my amendment, which is at the desk. I further ask that the amendment be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-11-7

in reclaiming my time, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the ic leader, the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1994, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019, the SECURE Act, which is at the desk. prgtoken I further ask that there be a period of general debate on the bill to be limited to 10 hours, equally divided between the two leaders or their designees, and that following the use or yielding back of that time, the only amendments in order on the side be the amendments to be offered by Senators Toomey, Lee, Burr, Braun, and Cruz or their designees, the texts of which are at the desk, and five amendments that propose changes to the Internal Revenue Code to be determined by the ic leader, with the concurrence of the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Finance. prgtoken I further ask that debate on each amendment be limited to 30 minutes, equally divided between proponents and opponents, and that each amendment, unless it would be considered germane postcloture, be subject to an affirmative 60-vote threshold and that following the use or yielding back of time on each amendment, the Senate proceed to a vote on each amendment. prgtoken Finally, I ask that following the disposition of those specified amendments, the bill, as amended, if amended, be read a third time and that the Senate vote on the passage of the bill, as amended, if amended, with no intervening action or debate.
Introductory Statement on S. 2817
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-11-7

Canadian historian Michael Bliss wrote in his 1982 book, ``The Discovery of Insulin,'' that ``[w]ith insulin, the stone was rolled away, and diabetes became a matter of the quality of life, not speed of death.'' prgtoken For thousands of years, human beings have battled diabetes. When the pancreas stops producing insulin, all kinds of bad things happen--heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, foot disease, foot amputations, small blood vessels throughout the body being impacted by that high blood sugar. In some cases, within months, individuals waste away, fall into diabetic comas, and die. prgtoken All that changed about a century ago thanks to the work of four Canadian scientists--Frederick Banting, Charles Best, J.B. Collip, and John Macleod. These four men discovered how to extract, develop, and refine a pure form of insulin that could be injected into the human body. It changed the world. prgtoken Thirty million Americans--almost 10 percent, 9.4 percent, of the American population live with type 1 or type 2 diabetes today. Of those 30 million, 7.4 million depend on insulin for their survival, but one- quarter of the people who depend on insulin for their survival have had to ration their insulin in the past year because of the extraordinary, over-the-Moon cost of this drug that was developed a century ago. prgtoken Rationing the drug, and therefore producing episodes or enduring levels of high blood sugar, has extensive health consequences. It does a lot of damage. Diabetic Americans are being gouged by the drug companies, and it needs to stop. prgtoken Today I am introducing, in partnership with Senator Durbin, the End Price Gouging for Insulin Act to end this egregious practice. I want to ensure that every single one of those 7.4 million Americans who need insulin to survive can afford it. I want to ensure that not a single person has to ration their insulin. I can tell you that vision of every person having affordable insulin is what the four scientists who invented it nearly 100 years ago envisioned. They didn't ask for great wealth from their work. They did receive recognition. A Nobel Prize went to two of them for their role in this. They certainly weren't asking for huge payouts or a high price. Do you know what they did? For the health of humanity, they sold their patent to the University of Toronto for $3 to make insulin available to the world. All they cared about was saving lives. They wanted everyone who needed it to have it. prgtoken What do we see today? Almost a century later, the price of insulin is going higher and higher with the extensive greed of the companies that produce it. Over the last decade, the companies selling the four most popular types of insulin have tripled the price of their product-- essentially the same product. They tripled the price. Nova Nordisk has two of these drugs; Sanofi has one; Eli Lilly has another--and they all tripled the price. <|p|
Appropriations (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-11-7

Senate had hoped to work with our colleagues this year on a fully bipartisan process. It got off to a great start when the four congressional leaders reached a budget deal over the summer, but it quickly went awry. prgtoken Senate s departed from the bipartisan process by unilaterally proposing their own allocations to the various agencies. This was not part of the agreement. This was not in the spirit or concept of the agreement. It was always, when we agreed, that we would work out the 302(b) allocations. Instead, the s went ahead, unilaterally, and they proposed moving $12 billion--$12 billion--from critical health programs and military families to pay for the President's border wall, and that was way out of bounds. prgtoken The leader has accused , myself included, of breaking our budget deal by not going along with these very partisan bills. He knows--and every Member of this Chamber, and , knows well--that are not going to support a unilateral move by the s to take $12 billion away from military families, education, opioids, and NIH and put it into the President's vanity, partisan wall. So, until s get serious about negotiating a bipartisan way forward, the partisan appropriation bills are all we have and they cannot move forward. prgtoken Now, in the last few days, after conversations that I had with Leader McConnell, Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy, we are seeing some positive signs that we can get the process back on track. This month, and s worked through a package of bipartisan appropriation bills on the floor with few issues. Now, as we speak, both parties, both sides-- and s, House and Senate appropriators--have started talking again about restarting the good- faith negotiations on the remaining bills. prgtoken We hope this moves forward in a bipartisan way. Each side has to agree. I will repeat my view. If President stays out of it, we will come to an agreement. If President messes in, if the leader feels so in obeisance to , who doesn't have any concept of how to get things done around here, then we will not get it done, and we may have a second shutdown with the leader going along, which will not succeed. It will not succeed in getting them what they want. prgtoken So I hope that with a little effort and compromise, we in Congress can find a way forward on appropriations by working together.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-11-7

I rise today to honor Mr. Todd Portune, a dedicated public servant, who has spent his career serving the people of Cincinnati with dedication and enthusiasm. Commissioner Portune is retiring from politics following this term after more than a quarter century of service, and I know how much he will be missed by the people of Southwest Ohio. prgtoken Commissioner Portune was born in Cincinnati and from an early age was known for his work ethic. Throughout his education, Commissioner Portune remained in Ohio, graduating from Colerain High School, Oberlin College, and serving as the president of the Student Bar Association at the University of Cincinnati Law School. prgtoken Commissioner Portune's leadership embodies good government in action. He helped lead the way in improving public health, from working to reduce infant mortality to expanding oral and dental care. Through projects to increase housing and job opportunities and secure funding for local first responders, he consistently focused on what he believed to be the fundamental goal of public service: to improve people's lives. prgtoken His service, from four terms in Cincinnati City Council to six terms as Hamilton County commissioner, inspired many to stand up for what they believe in. Commissioner Portune's fight for human rights will be a lasting part of his legacy. He advocated for LGBTQ rights before it was popular, and he always supported disability inclusion, those battling with addiction, and people without a voice in government. prgtoken His political triumphs can only be matched this his incredible personal tenacity throughout every obstacle thrown his way. But no matter what, he focused on serving the people in his beloved county. prgtoken Commissioner Portune will be remembered for his good humor, passion for public service, and strength to endure battles of all kinds. I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in thanking him for his service to our community and our State.