mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONGRATULATING ARCHBISHOP NIKITAS LULIAS
Gus M. Bilirakis (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-7-25

I rise today to acknowledge a group of heroes who work tirelessly to keep our country and communities safe. prgtoken Public safety aircrews ensure the safety of our domestic airspace, repeatedly operating in very hazardous conditions. They are also an essential form of support for first responders during disaster response and rescue missions. prgtoken Today, we honor the dedication and devotion that these public servants demonstrate and acknowledge those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. prgtoken It is only right that a day is set aside to recognize the thousands of men and women who have served in this role. To that end, I am reintroducing a resolution today to recognize July 26 as National Public Safety Aviation Day.
CELEBRATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF ORAN
Jason Smith (Republican, MO) \u2014 2019-7-25

. Madam , I rise today to honor the city of Oran in Scott County, MO on its 150th anniversary. The city of Oran, founded on July 16, 1869, was originally dubbed ``St. Cloud'' for the French town outside of Paris. The city was known to locals as ``The Land of the Watermelon.'' prgtoken After some debate in the community and the opening of a new post office in 1882, the city officially decided on the name Oran. Captain Ward L. Smith, a retired sailor, selected the name Oran in honor of the second most important city in Algeria, which he had visited during his time in the Navy. Oran is a North African word for lion and is historically associated with the Berber legend of ``the Mountain of Lions.'' prgtoken Traditions are a staple in Oran. Over the years, the city has hosted fall festivals, town celebrations, and picnics. Its most famous tradition is the Fourth of July picnic, which dates to 1908. Since its inception, the picnic has been celebrated annually except for a three- year break during World War II. The picnic features a multitude of activities for families and a firework show. The celebrations attract people from all walks of life each year. prgtoken Today, the city maintains its familiar farm town character, even with a growing population of over 1,300 residents. It is a charming community with a noteworthy history in the agricultural development of the Bootheel and of family values. It is my great pleasure to celebrate Oran today on the occasion of its sesquicentennial birthday before the U.S. House of Representatives.
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-7-25

. Apparently, the fact that he takes his faith seriously enough to participate in a Catholic charitable group, the Knights of Columbus, is enough to make him suspect as a judge. prgtoken I had hoped we were done with ' flirtation with religious tests for public office when they questioned the fitness of Judge Amy Coney Barrett because she takes her Catholic faith seriously, but apparently think it is perfectly legitimate to suggest that you can't be both a person of faith and a nominee for the U.S. judiciary. prgtoken Let me just remind my colleagues what article VI of the Constitution has to say about that. Article VI states: ``No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.'' I repeat: ``No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.'' prgtoken It is deeply troubling that we have in the U.S. Senate suggesting that religious faith disqualifies you from public office. If are using their objections to these candidates' religious faith as cover for the fact that don't want to confirm anyone who doesn't share their most extreme political opinions, that is deeply troubling too. prgtoken Religious freedom is a bedrock principle of this Nation. Our Founders considered it so important that it is the very first freedom mentioned in the Bill of Rights. By freedom of religion, they didn't mean it is OK to pray or have religious beliefs if you do it quietly inside your home; they meant freedom to practice your faith in the public square, even if that means having different political opinions from . prgtoken I hope Judge Buescher is the last nominee who will have his fitness for public office questioned simply because he chooses to live out his faith. I was glad to vote to confirm him yesterday, and I look forward to confirming more qualified judicial nominees in the near future. prgtoken I hope the will drop their delaying tactics and join us as we work to fill these important vacancies on the Federal bench. prgtoken . prgtoken .
RECOGNIZING RIDE4GABE FOR BRINGING NEEDED AWARENESS TO DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
Robert B. Aderholt (Republican, AL) \u2014 2019-7-25

. Madam , on behalf of Representatives Palmer, Sewell, Kelly (Trent), Kustoff, Cohen, Crawford, Hill, Westerman, Womack, Mullin, Hern, Lucas, Thornberry, Lujan, Buck, Tipton, and Lamborn, I want to recognize three men who will attempt to pedal their bicycles from Birmingham, Alabama to Colorado Springs, Colorado between July 28 and August 3, 2019. Ride4Gabe IV, as it is called, will take the cyclists through eight states in seven days . The group plans to pedal 300 miles the first day followed by days of 234, 198, 206, 232, 232, and 76 miles. The final leg of Ride4Gabe IV will be from Pueblo, Colorado up to 14,115 feet elevation at the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs. prgtoken Gabe Griffin, a 14-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, is the inspiration behind Ride4Gabe. After Gabe was diagnosed with Duchenne, his parents created the non-profit Hope for Gabe Foundation to raise awareness and support efforts to develop a cure for this devastating condition. Michael Staley (38) of Hoover, Alabama, and Wes Bates (24) of Nagoya, Japan, began Ride4Gabe in 2014 when they rode across Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. prgtoken According to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood, affecting approximately 1 in every 3,500 live male births (about 20,000 new cases each year worldwide). Because the Duchenne gene is found on the X- chromosome, it primarily affects males; however, it occurs across all races and cultures and there are cases of females with Duchenne. prgtoken Duchenne results in progressive loss of strength and is caused by a mutation in the gene that encodes for dystrophin. Because dystrophin is absent, the muscle cells are easily damaged. The progressive muscle weakness leads to serious medical problems, particularly issues relating to the heart and lungs. Individuals with Duchenne typically live into their late twenties. prgtoken Building on the success of the first Ride4Gabe event, Payne Griffin, 23, of Washington, D.C. joined Michael and Wes for Ride4Gabe II in 2016 and the group pedaled across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. Brian Toone, 42, of Hoover, Alabama, dubbed his effort Ride4Gabe Ill as he competed, in the grueling Race Across America. Brian finished 3rd place overall as he traversed California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland in just over ten days. prgtoken The Ride4Gabe IV team will be live streaming their adventure online as they pass through Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. As the riders tire and their muscles get sore, they will draw strength and inspiration from Gabe and the Duchenne community. Their hero, Gabe, would love to ride a bicycle with them but D
Budget Agreement (Executive Session)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-7-25

let me just take a few minutes here to share an idea that when we come back next week, we will be talking about the budget. We are going to be talking about making really difficult, very difficult decisions. prgtoken I would state that we on the Senate Armed Services Committee have an advantage over some of the other people because one of the critical areas in the budget coming up is how we treat the military. I think it is important for people to understand that if you are a member of the Armed Services Committee, you are in a position to know something the other Members don't know. It may sound like someone is not doing their job, but that is not true at all. prgtoken When you are on the Senate Armed Services Committee, there are hearings that take place. Starting in January, there are posture hearings. Posture hearings normally take about 6 hours a week. In posture hearings, we find out about matters that others just don't have time to find out about unless you are a member of the committee. If you are a member, you are sitting there for 3 hours a week. prgtoken I don't say this critically of the previous administration because--I would say, in the administration, the top priority was not defending America. In fact, he established something called parity. Parity meant that for every one dollar put into the military budget, we have to put one dollar into the nonmilitary budget. That had never happened before, at least it had not happened since World War II. At that time, it was established that national defense would be our priority. Every and every President at that time all the way up until the administration had defending America as the top priority. prgtoken What happened during that administration was that we actually had a dramatic reduction. If you use constant dollars, that reduction took place between 2010 and 2015, using constant dollars. For this description, we used 2018 dollars. Going into 2010, it was about $794 billion. Going into 2015, it was $586 billion or something like that. So there was about a 25-percent reduction in the defense budget in a 5- year period. That had never happened before in the history of this country. Yet we suffered through, and we paid dearly for it. prgtoken A lot of people are not aware of it, unless you are on the Armed Services Committee because we see it. When the current President came in, President , his budget boosted that back up. Now we are talking about real dollars, and it was $700 billion in fiscal year 2018. Then for fiscal year 2019 it was $716 billion. prgtoken Now we are getting into where we are today in the current budget. We passed a defense authorization bill, and in it we actually came out agreeing that we had to get to $750 billion. Someone might ask why. We had something called the National Defense Commission report. It was a document that was a good document that talked about how we were goi
ELECTION SECURITY
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-7-25

for the information of all of our colleagues, I want to provide an update on the remaining items the Senate needs to complete before we adjourn for the August State work period. prgtoken Here is what we need to accomplish before Members depart next week: We need to confirm well-qualified nominees to two open positions of utmost importance--the Deputy Secretary of Defense and our Ambassador to the U.N. These jobs are important, the nominees are impressive, and we need to confirm David Norquist and Kelly Craft next week. prgtoken Obviously, we need to pass the bipartisan funding agreement that President 's negotiating team worked out with Pelosi. The House will pass it today. The President is strongly in support of it. The Senate needs to pass it and put it on the President's desk next week. prgtoken We need to make more headway on the backlog of qualified judicial nominees who are waiting for confirmation, so next week we will also need to process a significant, bipartisan package of district court nominees. prgtoken That is our to-do list for next week--the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the U.N. Ambassador, the bipartisan government funding agreement, and a significant group of well-qualified judges. Not bad for a week's work. That is what the Senate will accomplish before we adjourn for August.
FRANK RIESINGER
Kevin Hern (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-7-25

. Madam , I rise today in honor of Frank Riesinger and the valuable contributions he makes to our community. prgtoken Mr. Riesinger served as an airman in World War II and has been the driving force behind the V-J Day celebrations here in Broken Arrow, commemorating the end of World War II on August 14th, 1945. prgtoken Mr. Riesinger recalls America's great Victory Over Japan from when he was just an 18-year-old airman home in Tulsa on furlough. He remembers standing in his dad's office downtown when he heard an uproar coming from the streets and saw Tulsans celebrating with shouts and car horns, making celebratory noise with whatever they could. This memory has inspired him to continue celebrating that triumphant day. prgtoken Thanks to Mr. Riesinger, V-J Day has been commemorated by Oklahomans for the past four years through this wonderful event. I appreciate his work to make sure that this monumental day for the U.S. and Oklahomans, is still remembered. prgtoken Although V-J Day is not nationally recognized, the Broken Arrow City Council issued a proclamation making August 14th V-J Day Celebration Day for Oklahomans. prgtoken I am grateful for Mr. Riesinger's service to our country and community. Mr. Riesinger's impact on Oklahomans is one that will never be forgotten.
RECOGNIZING THE FREEPORT FLAG LADIES
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2019-7-25

today I wish to pay tribute to three great patriots, three inspiring women, from the town of Freeport, ME. Their names are Elaine Greene, Carmen Footer, and JoAnn Miller. They are known by our men and women in uniform, veterans, and grateful citizens throughout America as the Freeport Flag Ladies. prgtoken On September 11, 2001, an act of terror transformed a beautiful Tuesday morning into a day of unfathomable horror. Three days later, President asked grief-stricken Americans to step outside their homes with lighted candles in memory of the heroes of 9/11 and of the nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children who perished. prgtoken Living on a secluded road, Elaine, Carmen, and JoAnn instead took their candles and an American flag to busy Main Street. Their location quickly began a rallying point for all of Freeport, the site of a spontaneous, heartfelt memorial service. prgtoken Then they did something even more remarkable. They made a promise to stand with their flags on Main Street each and every Tuesday morning between the hours of 8 and 9, to mark the day and time of the attacks. prgtoken This coming September 11th will be their final vigil. When that day comes, they will have kept their promise for more than 900 consecutive Tuesdays, in rain, sleet, and snow, in bitter cold and in blistering heat. Carmen, the youngest of the three at 74, says their ``retirement'' is due solely to the fact that ``Age wins, all the time.'' prgtoken For the past 4 years, the Freeport Flag Ladies have been joined each Tuesday by Darlene Jolly and frequently by Elaine's sister, Amy Gove. prgtoken They have kept their promise, and they have done so much more. From 2002 to 2016, they spearheaded a wonderful 9/11 tribute in Freeport. They have regularly made the long drive to Bangor International Airport, to join the legendary Maine Troop Greeters, and to Pease International Airport in New Hampshire, to meet the members of our Armed Forces as they head overseas or return home. They have greeted thousands of soldiers, and they are remembered by them all. prgtoken They have made a special effort to reach out to those who serve our country and to their families. Thousands of photographs of outbound troops have been sent back home, and families receive a weekly message. They have sent packages of games, magazines, and food to troops overseas. Parcels to combat support hospitals contain clothing and special pillows to make the transport of wounded soldiers more comfortable. They have funded these amazing efforts themselves, with yard sales, growing and selling ``Flowers for Freedom,'' and donations. prgtoken Describing what Elaine Greene, Carmen Footer, and JoAnn Miller have done falls far short of putting into words what the Freeport Flag Ladies mean to our country. Perhaps the best words were spoken by Elaine: ``Freedom shines on America, so let us shine for America.'' The Freeport Flag Ladies shine brightly, an
SHORT-TERM DETENTION STANDARDS ACT
Clay Higgins (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-7-25

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I would like to share with the gentlewoman, for whom I have deep respect, that I believe that the humanitarian standards that the gentlewoman referred to are alive in the hearts of the men and women, the American men and women, who serve in Customs and Border Protection on the border. These Americans struggle to accomplish their mission despite overwhelming, almost impossible conditions and situations, masses of humanity, wave after wave of children of God. prgtoken Indeed, the role of this body, as envisioned by our Founders and supported prgtoken through the generations, is to allow the American spirit to manifest itself without regulation and enforced traditions and principles that are exhibited by the very Americans whom we serve. prgtoken I deeply respect the intent of this bill, although I have voiced my concern regarding the letter of the language of this bill and the purposes of my concern. prgtoken I would share with Congresswoman Slotkin that I am prepared to close. I have no further speakers. prgtoken , I deeply respect her effort, while standing in opposition, and .
BORDER SECURITY
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-25

. Madam , I would notice that there is a certain smell here of jet fumes; that this Chamber is completely empty, here, July 25, my colleagues--well, it is empty for the most part. prgtoken My colleagues are headed off to the airport to fly home; fly home for fundraisers, vacation. prgtoken But you know what they are not doing? Nobody in this body is going to stay here to secure the border of the prgtoken United States. While we have got thousands of people pouring across our border, while ICE does not have the resources it needs to do its job, this body is adjourning. prgtoken I had 40 of my colleagues, give or take--and it is a growing list-- that have asked the that we should stay here. We should not adjourn. How can we possibly adjourn without giving ICE the resources it needs for the beds to be able to put people, to be able to deal with the border crisis? Yet, that is what this body is going to do. prgtoken It is unconscionable that we are allowing our border to stay open, and that this body is going to adjourn, go home and, for 6 weeks, not do our duty as a sovereign Nation to have a secure border, to make sure migrants can come here safely; but more importantly, that our law enforcement has the tools that it needs to do the job that we ask them to do when they are standing on the line every day defending this country. prgtoken With cartels having operational control of our border, endangering this country, it is our duty to do it. We should stay here.
THE PLAGUE OF ROBOCALLS
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-25

I rise today with great uncertainty. I am uncertain that I can make it through this speech without being interrupted by a robocall, which has become a daily or, rather, sometimes an hourly nuisance. prgtoken For far too long now robocalls and spoofing have become a hindering plague upon the phones of millions of Americans. I hear from constituents on a daily basis about how their lives are habitually interrupted by phony phone calls, and how their cell phones, once seen as necessities, are now sources of frustration. prgtoken In many cases, these calls are dangerous and disguised, seeking to steal valuable information by tricking the unsuspecting. In other cases, these aggravating calls disrupt important business, intrude on leisure activities, disturb family dinners and, even worse, are not restricted by the time of day. prgtoken These calls have been distracting, irritating, and deceiving Americans for long enough, and that is why I have introduced a bill called the Double the Enforcement and Fines of Everyone Associated with Terrible Robocalls Act, or, in short, the DEFEAT Robocalls Act. This bill ensures the harshest penalties for the individuals who are caught making illegal robocalls and spoofing calls. Simply said, the bill takes all the fines and penalties that those making robocalls currently face and doubles them. prgtoken It is time that we hold those who continue scamming Americans all across the country liable for their actions in a manner as serious as their crime. prgtoken I am encouraged to see Congress' recent legislative actions to prevent robocalls from being a daily hindrance, and I call on my colleagues to continue moving swiftly to send a bill to the President's desk so that we can restore Americans' trust when they answer their phones. Honoring the Life of Dr. Christopher Columbus Kraft
BDS MOVEMENT INCONSISTENT WITH AMERICAN VALUES
Michael Guest (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-7-25

. Madam , the United States has long stood guard against ideologies that would undermine the principles of our democracy. Historically, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS, movement has been regarded as inconsistent with American values and in opposition to alliance with Israel. prgtoken Unfortunately, support for the BDS movement has been voiced in the House of Representatives. Supporting this measure shows disregard for the longstanding bond that the United States has developed with Israel as a trustworthy ally in the Middle East. prgtoken The United States has never turned a blind eye to our allies, and every Member of this legislative body should take steps to ensure that we do not betray prgtoken the enduring trust we have developed with our friend, the nation of Israel, and its people. prgtoken We, as the House of Representatives, should bring up H.R. 336, the comprehensive legislation addressing the anti-BDS issue. I encourage my colleagues to support additional measures to protect against the BDS movement and uphold our friendship with the great nation of Israel.
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF DR. KELLY SCOTT SEGARS, SR.
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-7-25

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the life of Dr. Kelly Scott Segars, Sr who passed away on Tuesday, July 23rd at the age of 89. Dr. Segars, a resident of Iuka, Mississippi, served his community, state, and nation as a physician, banker, pilot, farmer, entrepreneur and humanitarian. He was born on March 11, 1930, in Red Bay, Alabama to Dock and Ora S. Segars. He was an honor graduate of Red Bay High School and the Auburn University School of Pharmacy. Upon completion of his studies at Auburn, he married his high school sweetheart, Martha Ann Thompson. He joined the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant and was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant while serving in Korea from 1953 to 1955. He received many recognitions for his service including the American Defense Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Medal and Army Commendation Medal. Following his military service, he pursued his interest in medicine and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1959. In 1982, he established The Segars Clinic, and it quickly became known as the State's most innovative and technically advanced medical facilities in North Mississippi. In 1962, Dr. Segars chartered the First National Bank of Iuka. Today, First American National Bank operates nine branches in six counties. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of almost 67 years, Martha Thompson Segars; his sons--Scott Segars and Mark Segars of Iuka, MS; and his daughter Leigh Ann Segars of Pensacola, Florida as well as five grandchildren. prgtoken Dr. Segars' life was one of service, love for his family, and community. He will be greatly missed by all whom he encountered.