mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ACT OF 2018
Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-9-12

the bill we are considering today is similar in intent to the Department of Homeland Security CBRNE Defense Act, which passed the House by voice last Congress. Similar legislation was approved by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs earlier this year, and I am hopeful we will work together to swiftly get this important bill to the President for his signature. prgtoken , I want to thank Chairman Walden of the Energy and Commerce Committee for working with me to bring this bill to the floor. I urge all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 6198, and . House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, September 10, 2018. Hon. Michael T. McCaul, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McCaul: I am writing to notify you that the Committee on Energy and Commerce will forgo action on H.R. 6198 so that it may proceed to the House floor for consideration. This is done with the understanding that the Committee's jurisdictional interests over this and similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. In addition, the Committee reserves the right to seek conferees on the bill and expects your support when such a request is made. Please include a copy of this letter outlining our mutual understanding with respect to H.R. 6198 in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Sincerely, Greg Walden, Chairman.
FINCEN IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2018
Keith J. Rothfus (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-9-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , the FinCEN Improvement Act was introduced by Representative Ed Perlmutter, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, and cosponsored by Representative Steve Pearce, the chairman of this subcommittee. prgtoken This would add Tribal law enforcement agencies to those partners with which the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network already works, which includes Federal, State, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies. prgtoken The bill would clarify that FinCEN should protect against all forms of terrorism. FinCEN currently supports law enforcement on domestic issues, not just international, and this legislation would clarify that current practice. This bill would add an emphasis on emerging technologies or value that substitutes for currency in order to address the growing exploitation of digital currencies to move illicit funds. prgtoken The financial technology, virtual currency, and electronic payments landscape is rapidly evolving to include means of storing and transferring value that didn't exist when previous laws and regulations were written. This bill emphasizes that FinCEN ought to prioritize cryptocurrencies to ensure that criminals and terrorists cannot use these technologies to carry out illicit financial activities. prgtoken , .
RURAL BROADBAND PERMITTING EFFICIENCY ACT OF 2018
Greg Gianforte (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-9-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken H.R. 4824, introduced by John Curtis of Utah, is the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018. The bill, which I have cosponsored, provides much-needed efficiency to the broadband permitting process on Federal lands to ensure underserved communities receive this vital utility. prgtoken Approximately 40 percent of rural Americans do not have access to broadband internet. Without adequate and consistent internet access, people are unable to effectively communicate, gain access to vital information services, and increasingly participate in the American workforce. prgtoken Currently, providers who wish to install broadband infrastructure in existing utility and road rights-of-way on Federal land are frequently required to obtain approval from multiple Federal and State agencies. If the infrastructure crosses Indian Country, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is involved. This cumbersome process also includes extensive environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act. prgtoken H.R. 4824 streamlines broadband permitting in existing rights-of-way, saving time and money in broadband deployment. Specifically, this bill authorizes a program to enhance the permitting process for broadband internet projects in each of the Bureau of Land Management's State offices. prgtoken H.R. 4824 also authorizes the Bureau and the U.S. Forest Service to enter into agreements with States and Tribes to allow those entities to carry out environmental reviews for broadband projects within existing rights-of-way on Federal land. This coordinated approach should help alleviate unnecessary delays in permit processing and encourage providers and States to pursue broadband deployment projects, particularly in rural areas. prgtoken Congressman Curtis should be commended for his work on this bill and his efforts to have it considered by the House today. prgtoken , I urge adoption of the measure, and . House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, August 1, 2018. Hon. K. Michael Conaway, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC. Dear : I write regarding H.R. 4824, the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018, which was primarily referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and additionally referred to your committee. The Natural Resources Committee ordered the bill favorably reported by voice vote on June 6, 2018, and my staff has shared with your staff a draft bill report, a copy of the bill as ordered reported and the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office. I ask that you allow your committee to be discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it may be quickly sc
IMPENDING CRISIS IN SYRIA
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-9-12

I rise to again bring attention to the impending crisis in Idlib province, Syria. prgtoken Last week I spoke in the well of the House about the great work our Kansans and Americans are doing in support of the innocent Syrian people, many of them with no connection to Syria other than seeing years of pointless death and mayhem and wanting to help the Syrian people cope with their country's destruction and return to their families, their villages, their work. prgtoken I learned today that many of those Syrians that my fellow Americans support are now only a few kilometers away from the frontlines of the Assad-backed war machine. prgtoken The U.S. must continue to support Turkey's push to achieve a diplomatic solution to at least delay an assault on Idlib. prgtoken I believe the use of chemical weapons should not be the only trigger for an American response, but that we can no longer stand by as scores of innocents are massacred by the brutal dictator and his Russian agents. prgtoken I call on the President to strengthen his resolve against Assad's barbarous acts and to continue to support the innocent Syrian people.
APPROPRIATIONS Minibus (Executive Session)
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-9-12

sometime soon the Senate will be voting on the first fiscal year 2019 appropriations minibus. It has been a long time since we have brought conferenced bills to the floor, and I am pleased that the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill is a part of this package. This bill is the result of a bipartisan commitment to return to regular order, and I thank Chairman Shelby and Vice Chairman Leahy for leading the Senate in this process and providing all Members a voice in determining how taxpayer dollars are spent. prgtoken We have worked hard with our House colleagues over the past two months to develop a thoughtful and responsible conference report that took into account the input of Members on both sides of the aisle. The conference committee made thoughtful decisions about how to provide maximum readiness for the warfighters and prioritize investments at the Department of Veterans Affairs so it can take care of our veterans. prgtoken This bill provides $97.1 billion in discretionary spending, which is $5.1 billion over last year's level. Within that, the VA is provided a record level of resources at $86.5 billion in discretionary funding. That is $5 billion over last year's level and $1.1 billion over the President's request. These resources will provide healthcare and other important benefits earned by U.S. servicemembers. prgtoken Included in the bill is $1.25 billion more than requested for medical services and community care to support the VA's traditional community care programs as it transitions to a new and improved program. The bill includes $8.6 billion for mental health services, $865 million for the caregivers program, and $1.8 billion for VA homelessness programs, including $380 million for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program. It includes $400 million for opioid misuse prevention and treatment and $270 million for rural health initiatives. prgtoken The bill provides $10.3 billion to support military construction and family housing needs, a $241 million increase over last year's level. prgtoken It also funds $921 million for overseas contingency operations and the European Deterrence Initiative, $171 million increase over last year's level. In total, 190 military construction projects are funded to restore warfighter readiness and increase lethality of our installations within the United States and around the globe. prgtoken This bill also funds improvements to fuel logistics at Little Rock Air Force Base, in addition to a measure to move forward with development on the base's runway. prgtoken I am also pleased that the package increases funding to the Veterans History Project, an initiative led by the Library of Congress that builds an archive of oral histories and personal documents of the men and women who served our country in uniform. This is a unique collection of memories of our veterans who served from World War I to the
OPIOID LEGISLATION
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-9-12

now I would like to say a word about legislation that the majority leader, Senator McConnell, has described as landmark legislation, which I expect the Senate to move to early next week, and that is the legislation dealing with the most serious public health epidemic in America today, the opioid crisis. prgtoken We will be voting on the Opioid Crisis Response Act. This landmark legislation is the work of five different committees in the Senate. More than 70 Senators--half , half --have provisions in this bill. prgtoken A big bill is hard to talk about, so let me just mention 10 key provisions: first, Senator Portman's STOP Act to stop illegal drugs, including fentanyl, at the border coming through the mail; second, new nonaddictive painkillers, research and fast-track. I call this the holy grail of the opioids crisis because 100 million Americans hurt. They have pain; 25 million have chronic pain. They need help, and we need new nonaddictive treatments to help them. Blister packs for opioids, such as a 3 to 5 days' supply--we authorized the FDA to require manufacturers to do that. More medication-assisted treatment, preventing doctor shopping by improving State prescription drug monitoring programs, and more behavioral and mental health providers. No. 7, support for comprehensive opioid recovery centers; No. 8, help for babies born in opioid withdrawal; No. 9, help for mothers with opioid use disorders, addicted to opioids; and No. 10, more early intervention with vulnerable children who have experienced trauma. Those are 10 of the 70 provisions that change the authorizing law, but in addition to that, we have placed unprecedented amounts of Federal dollars toward the opioid crisis. prgtoken In March, in the omnibus bill, Congress and the President directed $4.7 billion toward the opioid crisis. Tomorrow, the conference committee considering the Labor, Health, and Human prgtoken Services, and Education Appropriations bill will meet. When that appropriations bill is approved, as we expect and hope it will be by the end of the month, that is another $3.7 billion. So that is $8.4 billion in the last few months that will have been directed toward the opioid crisis. prgtoken We have had seven hearings in our committee on opioids. On June 14, Becky Savage talked to us about two of her sons. She lost both of them after they accidentally overdosed on a combination of alcohol and opioids that they took in their own home after a graduation party. prgtoken At our hearing, Becky Savage said: How could two boys who have always seemed to make good decisions in life make a choice that would ultimately cost them their lives? [H]ow did someone's prescription end up in the pocket of a teenager at a graduation party? prgtoken Nick and Jack were just two of the 33,000 Americans who died in 2015 from an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent
HONORING SERGEANT FIRST CLASS RUFUS LLOYD KETCHUM
Sean P. Duffy (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-9-12

I proudly rise today to honor Sergeant First Class Rufus Lloyd Ketchum, an Army veteran of the Korean War killed in action at age 38 in the battle of Chosin. prgtoken Sergeant Ketchum honorably served in the Italian campaign of World War II and re-enlisted in the United States Army's 7th Infantry Division as a medic. On December 6, 1950, he was reported missing in action after an intense battle. prgtoken In 1952, Mrs. Dorothy Ketchum accepted on behalf of her husband the nation's second-highest military award, the Distinguished Service Cross. The citation honored Sergeant First Class R. Lloyd Ketchum's ``extraordinary heroism in action against an enemy army.'' For his leadership and valor, his partial list of awards include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal. prgtoken Through DNA testing, Sergeant Ketchum's remains where accounted for on April 23, 2018. Sergeant First Class Ketchum was laid to rest at the Calvary Cemetery in Superior, Wisconsin on August 14, 2018 with full military honors. prgtoken On behalf of the residents of the 7th Congressional District of Wisconsin, I would like to thank the family of Sergeant Ketchum for his service to our grateful nation and his ultimate sacrifice during the Korean War. Welcome home, Sergeant First Class Ketchum.
REMEMBERING JOSEPH BARTON GREER, JR.
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-9-12

I rise to remember the life of Joseph Barton ``Bartee'' Greer, prgtoken Jr who passed away on July 13, 2018 after a life very well lived. prgtoken A lifelong Alabamian, Mr. Greer was born on October 14, 1925 and attended Murphy High School in Mobile. He went on to attend the University of Alabama, where he played football for the Crimson Tide. prgtoken During World War II, Mr. Greer served in the United States Navy. He was stationed in Fort Worth, Texas where he worked as a medic for war victims as they returned home from combat. prgtoken Following his naval service, he started working with the family business, Autry Greer & Sons, where he worked for over sixty years. The family grocery business grew substantially during his time with the business and now operates in multiple states across the Gulf Coast region. After a very proud and successful business career, he retired as Chairman of the Board. prgtoken When not working, he enjoyed golf, football, and flying. In fact, Mr. Greer constructed his own airplane in his garage, which he flew around the Mobile area. The plane is now on display at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, Alabama. prgtoken , Mr. Greer was a steadfast supporter of the local community and a champion of those less fortunate. He served on numerous community and philanthropic boards, including his membership in the Rotary Club. He was the definition of a ``family man,'' and he took great pride in the many successes of his family and friends. prgtoken On behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District, I want to share my deepest condolences with Mr. Greer's family and friends. I hope they take great comfort in knowing that his impact will continue to be felt in Mobile and throughout the region for years to come.
2018 LUMINARY AWARDS
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2018-9-12

it is with great respect and admiration that I rise to commend the recipients of this year's NIPSCO Luminary Awards. The Luminary Awards were created to honor prominent individuals or organizations for their exemplary leadership. This year's honorees include Dr. Vanessa Allen-McCloud, The Nature Conservancy, Junior Achievement of Chicago, Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, Denarie Kane, and the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative (MAAC) Foundation. For their outstanding contributions to the community in Northwest Indiana and beyond, the honorees will be recognized at a ceremony on Thursday, September 13, 2018, at NiSource Corporate Headquarters in Merrillville, Indiana. Dr. Vanessa Allen-McCloud, president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana, is this year's recipient of the Community Leadership Award. For her remarkable dedication to public and social service, Dr. Allen-McCloud is worthy of the highest praise. The recipient of this year's Environmental Stewardship Award is The Nature Conservancy. The organization has protected millions of acres of land and thousands of rivers throughout the world. We are truly grateful for their conservation efforts, here in the community of Northwest Indiana, and beyond. The Education Award will be presented to Junior Achievement of Chicago and Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana. These economic and mentoring programs prepare students to achieve success and have made a tremendous positive impact on the youth of prgtoken our communities. We are truly thankful for their great work. Denarie Kane, director of development for the city of Hobart, is this year's recipient of the Economic Development Award. The city of Hobart is thriving and will continue to flourish due to Ms. Kane's outstanding leadership and direction, and for her devotion and hard work, she is to be highly commended. The Multi Agency Academic Cooperative Foundation is the recipient of the Public Safety Award. This noteworthy organization offers safety training opportunities for first responders and provides important public safety for our communities I ask you and my other colleagues to join me in commending these remarkable leaders, innovators, and organizations. For their outstanding contributions to the community of Northwest Indiana and their unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for its residents, each recipient is worthy of the honors bestowed upon them.
Freedom of the Press (Executive Session)
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2018-9-12

I rise before you today to express the importance of freedom of the press both around the world and here at home. Journalists take risks--often great risks--to tell the stories of war, genocide, hunger, poverty, and corruption around the world while facing unprecedented rates of intimidation and violence. prgtoken Freedom of expression is the bedrock of our democracy, but we must not take it for granted. It is how we hold ourselves to the standards set by the Founders and hold ourselves accountable and how we protect our institutions from falling into traps set by those who seek to abuse power. prgtoken Earlier this year, I introduced S. Res. 501, a resolution recognizing threats to freedom of the press and freedom of expression. This resolution was introduced with Senators Rubio and Wyden, and s for their leadership on this important issue. prgtoken This resolution highlights the importance of the freedom of the press, condemns attacks against journalists, and reaffirms press freedom as a priority prgtoken for the U.S. Government. This resolution is in honor of the 46 journalists who were killed in 2017 for their reporting, for the 262 journalists who were imprisoned around the world last year, and, as part of that 262, the 21 journalists who were jailed just in 2017 for ``false news,'' which more than doubled the 2016 record. prgtoken These journalists are mothers and fathers and sons and daughters who put their lives and, indeed, their freedom on the line to shed a light on some of the world's toughest stories. I would like to tell the story of one of the journalists who lost his life last year, Chris Allen, while he bravely reported from a conflict area. I acknowledge Chris's parents, Joyce Krajian and John Allen, who are here with us today. prgtoken Chris grew up in Narberth, PA, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Chris's parents say he was an explorer from an early age and had a keen interest in history. He went on to pursue his master's degree at Oxford. He was encouraged to go to places where history was being made. Chris embraced this calling and became a freelance journalist--first in eastern Ukraine, where he embedded with pro- Ukranian forces and reported for outlets like the Independent and the Guardian, in order to help give his audience a glimpse of the conflict up close. prgtoken His mother Joyce and his father John have shared this memory of Chris: This desire to bring to light untold stories from uncovered regions of the world and the plights of their peoples--that's what motivated Chris. He wanted to know the thoughts and feelings of those encountering conflict firsthand. prgtoken So said his parents. prgtoken After 3 years in Ukraine, Chris decided to embed with the South Sudan opposition forces near the Ugandan border. On August 26, 2017, we understand that Chris walked overnight with these fighters and two other journa