mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE LIFE OF JON DOUGLAS STEWART
Doug Collins (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam , I rise today to honor the remarkable life of Jon Douglas Stewart. prgtoken Doug was born and raised in Chicopee, Georgia, and graduated from Gainesville High School before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University. He later graduated from Emory School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1962. Doug practiced in both state and federal courts throughout Georgia, and in 1968, he began working at the Gainesville-based law firm, Stewart, Melvin & Frost, where he was a loyal partner for 50 years. As partner and senior litigator, Doug handled litigation ranging from commercial contract disputes to domestic relations cases and everything in between. prgtoken Doug was known as a steadfast leader and mentor in our community, serving in many capacities and dedicating his career to teaching and investing in the next generation of lawyers. From 1981 to 1982, Doug served as President of the State Bar of Georgia. He then spent the next decade sitting on the Georgia Bar Foundation's Board of Trustees, serving as both President and Vice President between 1983 and 1993. Towards the end of his tenure as President, Doug was honored with one of the State Bar's highest accolades--the Distinguished service Award-- in recognition of his service, professionalism, and integrity. Just last year, Doug was honored with the Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award--the State Bar's highest honor. prgtoken As an active member of Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Doug took great joy in mentoring young leaders through teaching Sunday school classes and serving as Chairman of the Administrative Board. He lived out his passion for music by singing in the church choir and participating in local theatre and musical productions. prgtoken Jon Douglas Stewart leaves behind an honorable legacy of integrity, leadership, and service. He will be greatly missed by many, but he will always be remembered for his incredible impact on countless lives across Hall County and beyond.
RECOGNIZING THE NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS CLUB
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-5-22

I rise to recognize an outstanding resident from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who is teaching us all about strength and perseverance. prgtoken Ben Harder, a resident of Levittown, recently participated in the Kiwanis-Herald Sesame Place Classic, which I was honored to attend. This was Ben's 21st consecutive year participating in the 5K race, an event cherished by our local community. His presence this year was made remarkable, however, due to the fact that Ben is currently undergoing chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. prgtoken , Ben is no stranger to athletic feats. While a student at The University of Southern Mississippi, he was also a top-ranked power lifter for his weight class. prgtoken I would like to honor Ben for his strength and his spirit in the face of adversity, and our entire community is praying for him as he undergoes treatment. prgtoken I would also like to extend our best wishes to Ben's family, including his siblings, Arthur, Chloebelle, Rosen, and Eleanor.
CONSUMERS FIRST ACT
Andy Barr (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Mr. Chair, I thank Ranking Member McHenry for yielding. prgtoken Mr. Chair, this legislation, H.R. 1500, the so-called Consumers First Act, neither puts consumers first nor puts in place the reforms that are needed to make the CFPB a stronger and more accountable regulatory agency. In reality, this bill is an attempt to politicize consumer protection. prgtoken It represents my ic colleagues' genuine expression of frustration with the current CFPB leadership, but that frustration is misdirected, Mr. Chair. That frustration really is more about their inability to provide meaningful oversight over this Bureau, a Bureau that they themselves created in the Dodd-Frank law. prgtoken I would submit that my ic friends' frustration should not be directed at former Acting Director Mick Mulvaney or current Director Kathy Kraninger. Their frustration is, in fact, a product of the very structure, the very flawed structure, that they themselves created and now stubbornly defend. prgtoken Today's legislation does absolutely nothing to address the fundamental structural flaws of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which could be remedied on a bipartisan basis with simple reforms that my colleagues and I have supported since the Bureau's creation. prgtoken I think, now that the leadership has shifted and there is a new administration with new appointees in the leadership, many of my ic friends are having regrets about the structure that they originally created. prgtoken What would be the reforms that we should together as a body on a bipartisan basis support? A bipartisan commission; subjecting the Bureau to congressional appropriations with my legislation, the Taking Account of Bureaucrats' Spending Act, which would restore the power of the purse over this agency; an independent inspector general, which would hold leadership of either party accountable. prgtoken Mr. Chair, this is just a messaging bill. It is not a true attempt to legislate. This bill does nothing to get at the lack of accountability of this Bureau. prgtoken To further make this point, my friend, the chairwoman, talks about the need to add supervisory authority to the Bureau over enforcement and prgtoken compliance with the Military Lending Act, but the bill doesn't do that. I have a bill that does that. In fact, I offered the bill as an amendment, but Monday night, in the Rules Committee, they made this amendment out of order. prgtoken This is not about actually giving the Bureau supervision over the Military Lending Act. If they really wanted that, they would have approved my amendment. We would be voting on my amendment to give the Bureau supervisory authority over enforcement of the Military Lending Act. prgtoken But, no. This is just about making a political point. Sure, they have findings that there should be supervisory authority over Military Lending Act compliance. Well, then why not make this amendment i
Flooding in Oklahoma (Executive Session)
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-5-22

just to give the Senate body a quick update of what is happening in my State right now, we have had some pretty dramatic flooding and over 15 tornadoes in the last 48 hours across the State. Thankfully, most of those tornadoes hit in open areas. They did not hit structures. There have been some structures that have been damaged, but the flooding has been far worse than the tornadoes and the high winds. prgtoken Just 2 nights ago, in one of our counties, Osage County, we had severe flash flooding, where from 10 p.m. to 2:30 in the morning, over 100 different homes had to be evacuated in the middle of the night. Many of those folks had law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders arriving at their home with a boat or with a truck to get them out, literally, in their pajamas so they could escape. Many of those homes have 4 to 6 feet of water in them now. prgtoken It has been intense for those folks who are in the area. In fact, it is interesting. The director of emergency management for that area spent the entire night saving homes and helping people get out. When dawn broke and they knew they had gotten everyone out, he headed back to his own house only to find out he could no longer get to his home anymore because of the floodwaters. prgtoken We have had folks all over the State, whether that be in Perry, where we had two homes that were destroyed in a tornado that night that, thankfully, did not hit the center of town. We had other spots, like around Eufaula, where we had some serious flooding; Stillwater, where there has been flooding. In Dale we had a very dangerous overnight tornado that came in, literally, while everyone was sleeping. There are pockets of folks who are there who have been affected by this, literally, all over the State. prgtoken For the department of transportation folks, for the folks in our police and fire departments, for the emergency management individuals-- both for the State and the counties--for mayors and city managers, for hospitals, for county workers, for city staff, for the Corps of Engineers, and, quite frankly, for just neighbors down the street, it has been a long week. There have been a lot of folks serving each other to take care of those needs, and there will be for a while. prgtoken I thought this body would need a quick update because sometimes people feel a long way from the center of the country when you are in Washington, DC, but we need to understand what is happening in the center of the country right now--literally, the center of America. It is affecting all Americans.
TAKE ACTION TO RESTORE FLORIDA'S WATER QUALITY
Michael Waltz (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-5-22

when Members think of my home State of Florida, they think of water. From our beaches to our springs to our lakes and our rivers, Florida's waterways stretch far and wide, covering nearly 26,000 miles. prgtoken Florida's Sixth District, my district, is no exception, with miles of Atlantic Coast to the east and bordered by the St. Johns River to the west. prgtoken From the Matanzas River marsh to the Everglades, water is at the heart of Florida's ecosystem and its natural beauty. People are drawn to Florida's water, and the numbers prove it. One thousand people per day move to the Sunshine State, with a record 126 million people visiting Florida last year. prgtoken Tourism drives our economy, and Florida's tourism is dependent on clean water and its natural resources. prgtoken Unfortunately, our water quality is threatened right now. We saw a new blue-green algae bloom erupt in the St. Johns River just last month. While it is too early to know exactly the specific cause of this incident, we do know what causes algae blooms, and there are steps the government can and should take to prevent them. prgtoken This is why I am focusing my efforts to remove septic tanks from my district and connecting those communities to new sewer utilities. prgtoken I am grateful for our State lawmakers and Governor Ron DeSantis, who prioritized water quality this year, putting $49 million toward water quality and wastewater grants and $25 million specifically for septic- to-sewer conversions. These conversions will have a positive impact by lessening discharges since septic leakage contributes to these growing algae blooms and these growing algae problems. prgtoken We must leverage these State resources with Federal funds to address the full needs of Florida. We have the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program and State Clean Water Revolving Fund program, but they need to be better focused and better utilized to address this issue. prgtoken We have to do more. That is why I requested much-needed funding for our National Estuary Program, which funds the Indian River Lagoon, in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill. The Indian River Lagoon in my district has, unfortunately, fallen victim to septic leakage and requires a plan for restoring water quality. prgtoken The National Estuary Program supports and will help maintain healthy water and estuary ecosystems like the Indian River Lagoon. prgtoken Alongside many of my Florida delegation colleagues, I supported the $200 million funding request for the Everglades restoration project in April, and I am glad President has amended his budget to include the Everglades. Everglades restoration is dependent on cleaning Lake Okeechobee and its discharges, which impact water along our coast. prgtoken I also commend my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee for passing the Energy and Water bill yesterday, which includes that $200 million figure. These requests will go direct
TRIBUTE TO UTAH'S SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTEES
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2019-5-22

it is that time of year where I am privileged to recognize exceptional young men and women from the great State of Utah who have answered the call to serve by applying to the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy. It is one of my greatest honors to recognize these fine Utahns in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Under title 10 of the U.S. Code, each year, Members of Congress are authorized to nominate a number of young men and women from their district or State to attend the country's service academies. Each of these students is of sound mind and body. This will serve them well in Colorado Springs, Kings Point, West Point, and Annapolis, but to succeed, they will need more than this. prgtoken The journey on which these young men and women will soon embark requires more than mental and physical aptitude. It also demands strong moral character: leadership, courage, honesty, prudence, and self- discipline. It calls for a commitment to service and a love of country. Ultimately, it provides a chance for some of Utah's finest to stand up for our country. prgtoken Today, I would like to congratulate each of these impressive students, all of whom embody, in their own unique way, the standards of excellence upon which America's service academies are built. prgtoken Carson James Angeroth will be attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy after graduating from Cottonwood High School, where he was part of the State champion baseball team. He served as a church camp counselor for 3 years and served his neighbors by helping them clean and renovate their homes. As a leader in the youth organization through his church, he is as an example for his peers. He is often found outdoors hiking, biking, and skiing. prgtoken Jackson Thomas DuPaix accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He earned his diploma a year early from Rockbridge County High School and has been attending Southern Virginia University. An Eagle Scout from Riverton, UT, he was part of his high school's drone club and lacrosse team. He served as president of his church youth group and stayed active in his community by helping with home renovations, city landscaping projects, and putting together Christmas boxes of food and toys. prgtoken Cassidy Ann Eiting is following in her father's footsteps and attending the U.S. Air Force Academy. After graduating from South Summit High School, she attended the Northwestern Preparatory School. She was a leader in high school as the student body vice president, captain of both her swimming and soccer teams, and a member of the two- time State champion softball team. Inspired by her mother, a commissioned Air Force officer, she stayed active in her school and community as a member of the MiteE Team, Interact Club, and National Honor Society. prgtoken Jacob Joseph Frederick, the student body president of Skyline High School, will follow his f
Nomination of Stephen R. Clark (Executive Session)
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2019-5-22

I think, by any standard, it is a stretch to suggest that we are churning out judges. We are doing our constitutional job of confirming judges that the President is constitutionally required to nominate. We are going to vote on a Missouri judge today, Judge Stephen Clark, to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. prgtoken In the process of churning out judges, Judge Clark--or soon-to-be Judge Clark, I hope--was told by the White House in July of 2017 that he was going to be its nominee for this place on the court. If it were July of 2017 and it is now May of 2019, the churning is, obviously, not going very well. In fact, to get people to even serve in these jobs is going to get increasingly difficult. prgtoken In the case of Steve Clark and his family, he had a pretty unique practice that was focused on him and a couple of associates. I am not even sure of the kind of law they practiced, but I am sure it was not the kind of law that was referred to a minute ago. His wife was the assistant in the office, and I think they had an associate or two. prgtoken Yet, if all of your clients have been told for 20 months or so that you are going to be a district judge, the first question they ask is, Can you handle this case? prgtoken The answer you give is, Well, I don't know, but probably not. Eventually, Congress will get to this, and, eventually, I will be confirmed. prgtoken From the time of July 2017 to November 2018, there was nobody coming in the door anymore, and the law practice closed, as it should. It was not forced to close. Clearly, the best thing to do was to go ahead and admit that the supporting effort of that practice had gone away but that the overhead was still there. Since November, Stephen Clark has been waiting for this day to happen. This is not churning out judges, and I may get back to this topic in just a minute. prgtoken Certainly, for nominees like him who are willing to have their names submitted--who are willing to say yes when asked if they would be willing to be nominees--we have to do a better job, not the job of suggesting that somehow this happens easily to people who aren't qualified. prgtoken Steve Clark has been a respected, practicing attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri for 28 years. He knows the law; he knows the community. The American Bar Association rated him ``well qualified'' to hold this job. prgtoken He has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee twice now, once in 2016--see if I have that right; there is so much history here, it is hard to even know what the book would look like--and once before the 2018 election. Then all of these nominees had to be sent back to the White House, so after the 2018 election, after the Congress started work again in January of 2019, his name had to be resubmitted. The committee had to vote on him again. They had to look once again to see that he was ``well qualified'' to hold
CONSUMERS FIRST ACT
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam Chair, this amendment permanently subjects funding for the CFPB to congressional appropriation and authorizes funding for fiscal year 2020 at the fiscal year 2019 level. prgtoken The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is currently funded by the Federal Reserve System, based upon a formula. Congress has never been able to fully determine the funding level for the CFPB, limiting congressional oversight and the American taxpayers' right to have a voice in these activities. prgtoken As Acting Director Mick Mulvaney stated in his quarterly funding request to Chairman Jerome Powell of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors: ``By design, this funding mechanism denies the American people their rightful control over how the Bureau spends their money. This undermines the Bureau's legitimacy. The Bureau should be funded through congressional appropriations. However, I am bound to execute the law as written.'' prgtoken If do not like the actions of the CFPB Director, they should support returning control to the Congress, to the United States House of Representatives, to the people's House, through the appropriations process, as was envisioned by the Founders in the Constitution. This amendment simply returns congressional oversight by bringing funding for the CFPB under our discretionary appropriations process. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge all Members to support this important and commonsense reform, and .
Healthcare (Executive Session)
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2019-5-22

I come to the floor again today to discuss Washington ' one-size-fits-all healthcare scheme. Every American needs to know about this very radical plan. prgtoken essentially want Washington, DC, to take over all of healthcare in this country and to abolish private health insurance that 180 million Americans get through their jobs. Incredibly, this proposal offered by Senator Bernie Sanders has the backing of many leading running for President and 109 ic Members of the House of Representatives. prgtoken So I want to continue the debate today by focusing on the terrible impact this radical scheme will have on all of the fine men and women who provide healthcare to people across the country. Of course, the impact on them will impact the patients for whom they provide care and services. prgtoken I am talking about the Nation's dedicated medical professionals, especially prgtoken those who serve in our community hospitals. I actually know many of these healthcare providers because I am one of them. For many years I practiced orthopedic surgery in Casper, WY. I was a medical doctor, a physician, and chief of staff at the Wyoming Medical Center. prgtoken When practicing medicine in Casper, WY--or anywhere in the Presiding Officer's home State of Nebraska--you really treat patients from all over the State. That is because many people in Wyoming live in small towns. I am talking about patients in towns like my wife's hometown of Thermopolis, WY. My wife's parents are there. When they need specialty care, they go to Casper. For those who haven't traveled in Wyoming, it is about a 2-hour drive one way when the weather is good. prgtoken My point is, when you work in the Casper hospital, you are actually covering a large area in our State, and that is often the case in many States. So when I hear that Washington want to have a one- size-fits-all healthcare plan, I wonder if they have given any thought to people in the Nation's heartland, to people out west. Are they considering people in rural communities at all? prgtoken I will state that I think about the people of Wyoming every day. I am there every week. The staff at small hospitals who serve rural communities like Thermopolis, Rawlins, Lusk, Kemmerer, and at the Lovell hospital, where I attended a health fair this past Saturday, talking to all of the folks there--their needs are things I am not convinced Washington have any knowledge of or care for at all. The people at these hospitals work hard just to keep the doors open so that they can continue to care for patients right there. prgtoken So alarm bells go off when I see headlines like the one from the Washington Post that said: ``Who's going to take care of these people?'' As emergencies rise across rural America, a hospital fights for its life. prgtoken That is the headline in the Washington Post, referring to a community hospital
WELCOMING REVEREND WILLIAM JOHNSON
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2019-5-22

I am often asked about what I value in life, and I speak of the four pillars of my life: faith, family, community, and education. Today I honor faith. prgtoken It is a thrill and honor of my life to have my pastor here today to help us open this Congress like we do every morning: with prayer. prgtoken I honor Pastor Bill Johnson and all the pastors across the country. Today, the pastor who baptized my four children, who married my daughter, we are so glad, so proud to have him lead us and open this House. prgtoken , there are many, many freedoms that we value, but there is nothing I value more than freedom of religion.