mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
OREGON JEWISH MUSEUM AND CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST EDUCATION
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-6-5

I want to acknowledge an exciting moment in Oregon's history: the grand opening of the new Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education in Portland. The 15,000-square-foot museum now has a permanent place in our State where anyone can come to learn and experience Jewish culture and history. prgtoken Jews have lived in Oregon for more than 165 years. Many immigrated here to escape the horrors of the Holocaust; others came with the hope of finding a new life in a new land. I am the son of immigrants who fled Nazi Germany, so this history is especially personal. As a proud American Jew, I know that for each dark chapter in our history, there is a story of perseverance, of hope, of triumph. The rich traditions and culture within the Jewish community must be preserved and taught for generations to come. That is why I am so proud of the work done by the community in Oregon and by the Portland museum staff and board to bring this museum to an even grander scale. prgtoken The museum has come a long way from its initial beginnings when it was known as the museum without walls. From the first exhibition, ``Jews of Greece,'' at the Multnomah County Central Library in 1990, interest grew-and so has the museum's footprint. Now, with this new state-of-the-art facility, the museum will continue to educate and open the minds of many about the experiences of Oregon's vibrant Jewish community. In fact, it continues to be the only community repository for displaying that experience in my home State. prgtoken It is my distinct honor to recognize the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. It brings incredible exhibitions to our State, provides a full-time Holocaust educator to help those who want to learn more about this tragic piece of history, and remains the steward of the Oregon Holocaust Memorial in Portland's Washington Park. I am greatly appreciative for all this museum does and will do for Oregon.
COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REUNIFICATION OF JERUSALEM
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-6-5

over the weekend, our friends and allies suffered yet another tragic loss as terrorists struck in London, claiming several innocent lives and injuring dozens more. Our steadfast allies, the British, have confronted terrorism for decades, and our friends have endured so much these past several months at the hands of terrorists. Our hearts go out to them. prgtoken The Senate holds the victims of the attack and their families in our thoughts, and we once again express our gratitude to all of the first responders, medical professionals, and citizens who bravely stepped in to help. prgtoken Our fight against terrorism will go on, and together we will target terrorist networks and propagandists. We will continue to stand by the British people, especially in this time of great difficulty. prgtoken , this week marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Six-Day War. Confronted by the massing Arab armies and the closing of the Tiran Straits, Israel responded, and in a fight for survival, ultimately prevailed. As a result, the city of Jerusalem was finally reunified after years of division. The reunification of the city allowed for people of all faiths to worship and to access the respective holy sites throughout Jerusalem. prgtoken In honor of this significant anniversary for our close ally, many Senators from both sides of the aisle--including the ic leader and myself--are joining together in a resolution to mark the occasion today. prgtoken While we know Israel continues to face a number of threats, bipartisan adoption of this resolution will serve as yet another indication of the commitment of the United States of standing by our friends in Israel. I look forward to supporting it later this afternoon and working to strengthen our relationship with that nation in the years to come. Remembering Jim Bunning prgtoken , on May 26, the Commonwealth of Kentucky lost a legendary figure with the passing of Senator Jim Bunning. For more than two decades, Jim was my colleague here in Congress. Before that, he was a storied Major League Baseball pitcher, earning him a spot in Cooperstown. Today, I remember Jim Bunning, a Hall of Famer in life. prgtoken Jim's career in the majors spanned 17 seasons, where he pitched primarily for the Tigers and the Phillies. In that time, he earned 224 career wins and struck out 2,855 batters. Of his many impressive accomplishments on the diamond, Jim's two greatest pitching achievements were his no-hitter in 1958 and the perfect game he threw in 1964, a feat that has only been accomplished 23 times in all of baseball history. prgtoken In recognition of his career with the Phillies, the team retired Jim's No. 14 jersey, and his baseball career was finally capped off by his election to the Hall of Fame in 1996 by the Veterans Committee. prgtoken Anyone would be proud with such a resume, but for Jim it was only the firs
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-6-5

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
REMEMBERING WILLIAM BARCLAY BATES
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-6-5

today I wish to pay tribute to William Barclay Bates, a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and veteran of the Second World War. Bill, as he liked to be called, passed away last December in Jackson, WY, at the age of 91. Next week, his family will gather at Wyoming Veterans Cemetery in Casper, WY, to commemorate his life and honor his contributions to our country. I wish to add a few words to what they will say about this brave and stalwart man. prgtoken Bill's life story typifies many of his generation. He was born on December 14, 1924, in Los Angeles, CA, to Jeffrey Otto and Clara Virginia Bates. His father, Jeff, served in the American Expeditionary Force in Russia during prgtoken World War I. His mother, Clara, was a telephone operator. When Bill was 5, he moved with his family to McAlester, OK. This was during the middle of the Great Depression, and times were tough. Bill's father owned a radio repair shop and later ran a roller rink to provide for the family. As Bill said some years later, ``We never had much money, but neither did anyone else. We never missed any meals, but we ate a lot of beans, and a soup bone on Sunday was a real treat.'' prgtoken In September 1941, at the age of 17, Bill enlisted in the Army. It was 3 months before Pearl Harbor. After basic training, Bill applied for and was accepted to airplane gunnery school. Following completion of his training, a request came in for a gunner for a group headed to Africa. As Bill later told the story, his captain ``flipped a coin between two candidates, me and Bill Haygood. I lost and Bill Haygood went to North Africa and was killed within six weeks. A flip of a coin decided that I would live through the war.'' prgtoken Instead of going to Africa, Bill was sent to Europe with the Eighth Air Force, 446th Bomb Group. The 446th Bomb Group, which came to be known as the Bungay Buckaroos, led the Eighth Air Force on the first heavy bomber mission on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and later supported Allied ground forces as they moved east toward Berlin through France and Germany. prgtoken Bill served as a waist gunner and flew missions in B-17s and B-24s. In total, he flew 33 combat missions. This was very dangerous work. Of his original flight crew, only Bill and one other were still alive at the war's end. For his service, he received the Air Medal with three bronze oakleaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. prgtoken After receiving an honorable discharge as a staff sergeant in 1945, Bill returned to Oklahoma, studied business on the G.I. bill, and became a certified public accountant. prgtoken In 1951, he married Dorothy Lee Hartman in Fort Sill, OK. Like Bill, Dorothy grew up in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. She was working as a nurse in Tulsa when they met. A year after Bill and Dorothy married, their son Bruce was born. Seven years later, another son, Jeff, was born. prgtoken In 1962, Bill and his family moved from Tulsa
S. RES. 176
Dean Heller (Republican, NV) \u2014 2017-6-5

I rise today in support of S. Res. 176, which was just adopted by the Senate. prgtoken This important resolution reaffirms the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. prgtoken As many of my colleagues know, this week marks 50 years since Jerusalem was unified during the Six-Day War, and I am pleased to have joined Leader McConnell and Senator Schumer as an original cosponsor of this resolution to commemorate this important anniversary. I thank them for their leadership on this issue, and I am proud to stand beside them in our commitment to one of our oldest and strongest allies, Israel. prgtoken This resolution sends a message to our friends in Israel, and that message is this: We support moving our Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. prgtoken Let me explain why this issue is so important to me. prgtoken It has been 22 years since the Jerusalem Embassy Act became law. However, our country's promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem is yet to be fulfilled. It has been 22 years, and we still have not moved our Embassy. We have had 22 years to enforce this law, and year after year we continue to turn a blind eye to what we are expected--and what we promised--to do. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and that is where the U.S. Embassy should be located. Now is the time to move the Embassy as we committed to do so many years ago. prgtoken By the way, many Nevadans feel the same way I do. One Nevadan who supports relocating the Embassy said in a letter to me: It is never wrong to do the right thing. And moving our embassy to Jerusalem is the right thing to do. prgtoken As we commemorate the reunification of Jerusalem, I encourage my colleagues to honor our commitment and to show Israel, one of our oldest and closest allies, that we stand with them today more than ever. prgtoken Today's vote represents an important step in the right direction, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in finally enacting what is current law. prgtoken . prgtoken .
PROTECTING AGAINST CHILD EXPLOITATION ACT OF 2017
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-6-6

. Madam , I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1761, the Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act. Although I support the goal of the bill, which aims to strengthen existing laws that criminalize engaging in sexual acts with a child that result in the production of an image or video, I am concerned that its overly broad language could cause unintended consequents that go beyond the sponsors' intentions. Make no mistake, our children deserve the strongest possible protection against such heinous acts and abuse. I am deeply concerned; however, that the bill does not take into consideration situations between consenting teenagers. Teenagers today have access to more technology than ever before, and far too many of them do not comprehend the seriousness of exchanging sexually explicit images of themselves with one another. Although I do not condone such behavior, I cannot support a bill that does not distinguish between those situations and the morally reprehensible crimes against children. I commend my colleague, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, for offering an amendment that would make consensual activity between a minor who is fifteen years old or older and an adult who is nineteen years old or younger punishable as a misdemeanor, rather than a felony. The amendment was narrowly tailored to make sure that the punishment for such consensual situations is proportionate to the severity of the crime. I was disappointed that the House did not adopt the Jackson-Lee amendment, and I cannot support the underlying bill without the inclusion of this important policy provision.
IRAQ AND SYRIA GENOCIDE EMERGENCY RELIEF AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
Anna G. Eshoo (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-6-6

I rise in strong support of H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act of 2017. prgtoken In March of 2016, Congress declared in unequivocal terms that the persecution of Christians, Yezidis, and other ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria by ISIS constituted genocide. prgtoken This was a seminal moment in the U.S. Congress because it's only the third time in history that Congress has declared a genocide. Unfortunately, the conditions for the tens of thousands of survivors of these crimes against humanity grow worse each day. prgtoken , we are witnessing the systematic extermination of Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities at the hands of ISIS. prgtoken And despite the fact that Congress has appropriated over $1 billion in humanitarian aid to help these communities in Fiscal Year 2017, the money has not reached survivors because the only organizations focused solely on aiding survivors are religious groups, which the State Department will not provide assistance to. prgtoken For example, the Archdiocese of Erbil is currently providing food, housing, and medical care to more than 70,000 Christians who escaped death at the hands of ISIS. Even though the Archdiocese of Erbil is providing assistance to survivors at the center of this crisis, the State Department will not distribute U.S. assistance through religious organizations. H.R. 390 would resolve this ongoing problem. prgtoken The bill directs the Secretary of State and USAID to provide assistance directly to entities, including faith-based entities that are effectively providing assistance to genocide survivors or other persecuted religious and ethnic communities on the ground in Iraq and Syria. Importantly, the aid can only be used for humanitarian relief on the ground, not to support the general operations of the church or faith-based entity. prgtoken H.R. 390 also includes important provisions that will help the international community document the crimes against humanity that have been committed by ISIS, hold the perpetrators accountable, and ensure we learn from the horrors we have witnessed over the last six years so that we can one day prevent the next large-scale genocide from occurring. prgtoken I want to thank the bill's sponsor and my partner in this ongoing effort to help the tens of thousands of survivors of genocide in Iraq and Syria, Congressman Chris Smith. He has been a tireless advocate on behalf of these persecuted communities and I commend him for the work he has done to get this bill through the House. prgtoken Thirteen months after the House and Senate took the important step to label these crimes against humanity as genocide, my colleagues now have the opportunity to help bring an end to the suffering. prgtoken I urge my colleague to vote ``YES'' on H.R. 390.
GASPEE DAYS
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-6-6

I come to the Senate floor every year around this time to discuss an important incident in the history of Rhode Island largely overlooked in the history books, certainly overlooked in consequence to its importance. prgtoken We have to understand that we Rhode Islanders have always had a pretty fierce independent streak. The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was founded by Roger Williams and others fleeing the harsh ideological conformity of the Massachusetts theocracy. Our 1663 charter, describing the colony as a ``lively experiment,'' is the first formal document in all of history granting to a political entity the separation of church and state, along with unprecedented freedoms of speech. prgtoken Rhode Island was the first colony to declare its independence from Britain, on the Fourth of May, 1776--2 months before the rest of you did on the Fourth of July--and we were the last colony to join the Union, waiting for an independent Bill of Rights. Like I said, an independent streak. prgtoken Colonial Rhode Islanders chafed at the inequities of British rule, especially the disruption of our liberty at sea. We are the Ocean State. Living and working on the water has always been a Rhode Island way of life. As tensions with the American Colonies grew, however, King George III stationed revenue cutters, armed Customs patrol vessels, in the waters of Narragansett Bay to prevent smuggling, enforce the payment of taxes, and impose British sovereignty. prgtoken In 1764, after a British ship called the HMS St. John stole goods from Newport merchants, a group of Rhode Islanders seized control of Fort George on Goat Island in Newport Harbor and fired cannons on the vessel. prgtoken In 1769, the HMS Liberty, a sloop confiscated by the British from none other than John Hancock and repurposed as a Customs vessel, was boarded, scuttled, and burned by a mob of angry Rhode Islanders. prgtoken In 1772, on a dark night, a band of Rhode Islanders destroyed the HMS Gaspee, one of the most hated imperial ships, drawing what the Rhode Island abolitionist Frances Whipple McDougall called, in 1884, ``The first blood in the Revolution.'' prgtoken The Gaspee and its captain, Lieutenant William Dudingston, were known for destroying Rhode Islanders' vessels, seizing their cargo, and flagging down ships to harass, humiliate, and interrogate the Colonials. As historian Steven Park describes in his new book, ``The Burning of His Majesty's Schooner Gaspee: An Attack on Crown Rule Before the American Revolution,'' the Gaspee was an unwelcome, even hated, presence in Narragansett Bay. Rhode Island Deputy Gov. Darius Sessions complained to Gov. Joseph Wanton, in March 1772, that Lieutenant Dudingston had ``no legal authority to justify his conduct, and his commission . . . [was] more of a fiction than anything else.'' prgtoken When British authorities assured Governor Wanton that Dudingston was there to protect the
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 50TH COMMENCEMENT OF SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-6-6

on June 1st, I had the honor to address Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) class of 2017 as their commencement speaker. In my speech below, I explained to the students, faculty, and families assembled that a quality education and working together toward a common purpose, you can accomplish great outcomes even in challenging moments. I want to thank President John B. Cook for his gracious introduction and commend him on his outstanding leadership as STCC celebrates their 50th anniversary. I also want to particularly recognize the over 1000 students of the graduation class of 2017 on completing this important step in their education. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors. ``Good evening President Cook, parents, friends and guests. And of course Springfield Technical Community College class of 2017. Or as you are affectionately known in our community in the highest regard--STCC. We define community as a place where no one is to be abandoned and no one is to be left behind. prgtoken I am honored to have been chosen to deliver the commencement address for STCC's 50th commencement--or as your neighbors on Federal Street, Merriam-Webster, would say, your `quinquagenarian.' prgtoken The story of STCC begins with the decision of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to close the Springfield Armory. In history, it was known as the arsenal at Springfield. Established by General George Washington and administered by his trusted aide General Henry Knox. The college is located on at least three historic sites--the Knox Trail, Ben Franklin's mail route, and the site of Daniel Shays Rebellion which helped bring about the establishment of the United States Constitution, of which the convening is 230 years old as of last Thursday. prgtoken However, when Secretary McNamara announced his decision to close the Armory, he waived off the emotion and sentiments of the day and stood firm in his determination. Consternation, and some even predicted, calamity, would be the result of the Secretary's decision. prgtoken A sense of despair settled in with the loss of hundreds of manufacturing jobs. A polarizing debate began over whether or not to use the site in an attempt to secure a different commercial purpose or to use the site for education. Today, coincidentally, both missions have been accomplished. A reminder, once again, that in every crisis there is opportunity. prgtoken The dream began with the vision of Edmund Garvey, who had been the principal of Springfield Trade High School. A decision was reached to build an addition to Trade High School, which would be called Springfield Technical Institute. Edmund Garvey's concept would be championed by other notables in our community including then- Springfield Mayor Charles V. Ryan (who actually handed me my high school diploma), Joseph Deliso, a prominent titan of industry, and Representative Anthony M. Scibelli, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committ
HONORING CALIFORNIA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-6-6

I rise today to honor California Human Development, as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary this year. This important community organization has played a vital role in fighting poverty across northern California and will continue to help struggling Californians for years to come. prgtoken California Human Development (CHD) is a non-profit, human services provider waging the War on Poverty. Founded in 1967, and inspired by labor icon Cesar Chavez, the original focus of CHD was to assist migrant and prgtoken seasonal farmworkers by providing training and workforce development services. Over the past five decades, CHD has expanded its role and now serves not only farmworkers, but also people from many different backgrounds. Their patrons include seniors, addiction recovery patients, immigrants seeking to be part of the American Dream, adults living with disabilities, and many more. prgtoken CHD has seen incredible success during their past fifty years. Today they serve community members across thirty-one northern California counties. CHD operates twelve community-based farmworker services offices and four Anthony Soto Training Centers, providing jobs and training to their patrons and empowering them to achieve self- sufficiency. Additionally, CHD provides jobs programs, affordable housing options, immigration and citizenship application services, disability services and addiction recovery programs. All told, CHD serves over 25,000 people across northern California. prgtoken , California Human Development creates opportunities for people from all walks of life and this year celebrates fifty years and over 500,000 lives changed. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor them here today.