mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING REVEREND JEANNETTE PHILLIPS
Michael Lawler (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-10-2

I rise today to recognize Reverend Jeannette Phillips who passed away last month. She devoted decades of service to the healthcare needs of the disadvantaged in the Hudson Valley, culminating in her founding of the Peekskill Area Ambulatory Healthcare Center in 1975. prgtoken Over the course of her life of service, Reverend Phillips received myriad of awards and recognitions, including the New York State Governor's Award for African Americans of Distinction in 1994, the CHCANYS Catherine M. Abate Memorial Award in 2018, and Crain's Notable Women in Healthcare in 2019. prgtoken She also received the Sojourner Truth Award as well as the Harriet prgtoken Tubman Award for her work as the Westchester District president of the Harriet Tubman Home Historical Society. prgtoken Reverend Phillips is survived by three daughters, two sons, and more than 100 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great- grandchildren. prgtoken , it is an honor to enter her name into the Congressional Record and recognize Reverend Jeannette Phillips, a trailblazing humanitarian, historic preservationist, and a proud matriarch.
CONGRATULATING MIFFLINBURG HOSE COMPANY NO. 1 ON 125 YEARS OF SERVICE
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-10-2

I rise today to recognize the Mifflinburg Hose Company No. 1 for their 125 years of service. Over the weekend, the community gathered to celebrate this monumental anniversary. prgtoken The fire company was established in 1898 with 40 members. David L. Grover was the first president and H.O. Bower was the first fire chief. prgtoken For generations, these firefighters have protected the community and provided essential services. Since its founding in 1898 with 40 members, the company has grown to 125 members and 75 active firefighters. prgtoken The Mifflinburg Hose Company's coverage area includes parts of the Bald Eagle State Forest, Raymond B. Winter State Park and numerous other smaller State parks and natural areas, and parts of the Appalachian Mountains. This is some of the roughest terrain in the Mid- Atlantic area. The department responds to structure fires, silo fires, vehicle accidents, farm accidents, search and rescue, wildfires, and more. prgtoken As a former volunteer firefighter, I know firsthand the value that they play in our community. I thank all the members of the Mifflinburg Hose Company No. 1 for their service and congratulations on this significant achievement.
SECOND LIEUTENANT PATRICK PALMER CALHOUN POST OFFICE
Rick W. Allen (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-10-2

I rise today to recognize the life of an American patriot, Vietnam veteran, and amazing man who couldn't be more deserving of having his name displayed on the U.S. Post Office in Mount Vernon, Georgia. prgtoken Second Lieutenant Patrick Palmer Calhoun, a native of Mount Vernon, Georgia, located in the 12th District of Georgia, my district, was born on March 19, 1941. prgtoken After graduating from Montgomery County High School in 1959, Second Lieutenant Calhoun attended the University of Georgia, where he joined the ROTC and earned his pilot's license while finishing his junior year of college. That next year, Calhoun graduated and enrolled in his first year of law school at the University of Georgia, where he met the love of his life, Jane Dunham, whom he later married in 1963. That same year, Jane and Patrick's only child, Catherine Ruth Calhoun, was born on November 29. prgtoken Shortly after Catherine was born, Second Lieutenant Calhoun answered the call to serve and willingly put down his books and put on his uniform, joining the United States Army, where he was first stationed at Fort Benning, now known as Fort Moore, near Columbus, Georgia. prgtoken Later, after completing flight training in Mineral Wells, Texas, Calhoun was deployed on his first assignment in Vietnam in 1964. prgtoken A born leader, Calhoun served as a rotary wing aviation unit commander in South Vietnam, where his helicopter was tragically shot down under hostile fire while dropping off troops in the spring of 1965. prgtoken Calhoun was declared missing in action before being declared deceased at the young age of only 24 years old. prgtoken Lieutenant Patrick Palmer Calhoun was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievements while engaged in aerial flight. prgtoken Known for his contagious personality, Calhoun never met a stranger and always enjoyed cutting a rug, as we say down South. prgtoken I am pleased to stand here today to ensure his name lives on for years to come in his hometown of Mount Vernon, Georgia. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to join me in honoring Second Lieutenant Calhoun, his entire family, and his sacrifice to the Nation we call home by voting in favor of H.R. 3944.
NO MORE EMPTY PROMISES
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-10-2

last month, more than 400,000 illegal immigrants crossed the Darien Gap into Central America on their way to our southern border, nearly double the number that had arrived in all of 2022. prgtoken Let's put that number in perspective 400,000 is more than double the populations of Altoona, Johnstown, Chambersburg, Lewistown, Breezewood, Gettysburg, Waynesboro, Mifflintown, Newport, McConnellsburg, Greencastle, Huntingdon, Shippensburg, and Bedford combined. prgtoken It is clear that President 's border policies, which welcome illegal immigration, have created a national security crisis, a public health crisis, and a humanitarian crisis, all due to the porous southern border. prgtoken Since took office, there have been a total of 7.6 million encounters at our southern border, and for the third year in a row, Americans are now on track to see the worst border crisis in our Nation's history. prgtoken This year, we have seen public schools used as holding facilities for illegal immigrants instead of being used for American students who are already suffering from historic learning losses following 's prolonged school shutdowns. prgtoken While an influx of illegal immigrants has strained the food banks, the shelters, and the hospitals along our southern border, this administration continues to turn a blind eye and refuses to assist the communities that are threatened and in need. prgtoken It is time for the Senate to pass the Secure the Border Act, which would: first, force the administration to restart construction of the border wall; second, increase the number of Border Patrol agents; third, end catch and release; and, finally, deploy the new technologies that our Border Patrol agents have requested in order to help secure our southern border. prgtoken President 's failure to address this crisis is simply unacceptable. Report after report from Eagle Pass, San Diego, and McAllen shows that this crisis will only continue to worsen each and every day. prgtoken We can't afford business as usual from Washington, and we cannot abandon our Border Patrol agents who deal with this problem. It is time for in Congress to join us and deliver real solutions and not more empty promises to the American people.
MODERNIZING THE ACQUISITION OF CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS ACT OF 2023
Nancy Mace (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-10-2

I rise today to support our bill, H.R. 4502, the Modernizing the Acquisition of Cybersecurity Experts Act. I say ``our bill,'' because my colleague Katie Porter from California and I joined forces. prgtoken I don't have a problem with anyone working and reaching across the aisle. No one wants to shut down the Federal Government. We are not on a crusade to do that. I just want Congress to follow the law. prgtoken There was a law created in 1974, the Budget Impact and Impoundment Control Act, that requires Congress to have a budget in 12 separate spending bills. Both sides do it. Both sides are a failure to the American people because we don't follow the law. We can't expect our fellow Americans to follow the law when we ourselves are unwilling to do the work. prgtoken Chuck Schumer has 70 percent of Federal Government spending in his in-box right now. No one wants to do that. I don't oppose us working across the aisle for government spending or any of that. There is no crusade to shut down the Federal Government. I just want Congress to do its job and follow the law. prgtoken On to the rest of it. This bill solves a simple problem. You can't deem one applicant more qualified for a Federal cybersecurity job solely because he or she has a degree in underwater basket weaving. prgtoken I remember the first time I learned to code my first programming language. I was actually in college, but college didn't teach me to code. I taught myself to code. There are a lot of kids and students and adults out there that are teaching themselves to code and finding great jobs. When I was a coder, my first job, I got paid $35,000 a year. Because of the demands of these jobs today, it is a much better era for programmers and engineers. prgtoken I have a family member today who never set foot in college. He recently turned 22. He owns his own home, and he makes significantly more money than we do as Members of Congress. prgtoken Despite the shortage of over 700,000 cybersecurity professionals in the public and private sector, people who don't attend or finish college are often barred from consideration for jobs in the field when they shouldn't be. There are many, many brilliant programmers and computer whizzes out there. There are some that drop out of Harvard after a year or two, like Bill Gates. There are many others who have gone on to have outstanding careers in IT, technology, cybersecurity, et cetera, and they don't have a college degree. prgtoken While the cyber workforce is crucial to our national security, it is graying rapidly. According to a report issued last year, there are five times as many cybersecurity workers over the age of 55 as there are under 30. Only 1 in 16 Federal cybersecurity workers is actually under the age of 30. prgtoken This bill would prohibit mandatory degree requirements for Federal cybersecurity jobs unless they are legally required to perform the duties of the position, which is rarely the case.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Wiley Nickel (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2023-10-2

it is Monday morning, and the Federal Government is open for business. We came just hours away from a shutdown this weekend, with 209 House and 125 House s voting to put people over politics. prgtoken A government shutdown would have been a disaster for the American people, and I am glad and reasonable s were able to come together to get a short-term funding package through the House, the Senate, and onto the President's desk with just hours to spare. prgtoken This short-term funding package includes an extension of FAA authorization, funding for flood insurance programs, and $16 billion for disaster relief. Most importantly, it will keep the lights on for the over 6,500 Federal employees in North Carolina's 13th District. prgtoken Looking ahead, this short-term funding package gives us more time to come together, find common ground, and pass bipartisan spending bills for the full year. prgtoken For , that means funding for Ukraine. Our support for Ukraine cannot waver. I wish we didn't have to spend any money in Ukraine, but if Vladimir Putin wins, we will have to spend a thousand times more trying to contain an aggressive and emboldened Russia around the globe. If we abandon Ukraine, Russia will win. Putin will win. Support for Ukraine is in our national interest, . prgtoken For s, that means securing the border and taking up immigration reform. As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus and a member of the New Coalition's Immigration and Border Security Task Force, I remain focused and committed to working across the aisle to secure our border and advance comprehensive immigration reform. prgtoken I believe that the best path forward is through the Bipartisan Keep America Open Act that I have cosponsored and is being led by the Problem Solvers Caucus. This legislation upholds the top-line numbers agreed to in the bipartisan budget agreement. It includes funding for Ukraine, which is desperately needed. It includes title 42 reform legislation that I helped introduce with a bipartisan group of Members earlier this year that will help secure the southern border while giving us more time to enact meaningful, long-term reforms to our overburdened immigration system. It also includes bipartisan reforms to increase transparency and address long-term spending, an area where I agree with my colleagues. prgtoken The path to 218 votes on the budget won't come from the far left or the far right. It comes from the center, with proposals just like this one. The reality is that we have only 44 days to get this done, or we are right back to where we started over the weekend. prgtoken We never should have been in this situation in the first place. A short-term CR is a Band-Aid on a long-term problem. That is why I have introduced the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act. My bill would withhold Members' pay if both Houses don't agree to a concurrent bu
RECOGNIZING FORMER INDIANA GOVERNOR FRANK O'BANNON
Frank J. Mrvan (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2023-10-2

it is with great respect that I rise to recognize former Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon as we reflect on the 20-year anniversary of his passing. prgtoken The O'Bannon family and the Mrvan family have had great partnerships over the decades. My father was a State legislator for over 40 years and partnered on countless occasions to take positive and impactful action for the people of Indiana as Frank O'Bannon served in the General Assembly and as Governor. prgtoken I remain grateful for the example they have provided in how to work together with members on both sides of the aisle and with all levels of government to find common ground and achieve success. prgtoken In particular, I appreciate their priority to improve educational opportunities and affordable healthcare options for all members of our community. prgtoken , please join me in recognizing the service of Governor O'Bannon to Indiana, our Nation, and let us keep in mind his commitment to public service and solving problems as we move forward with addressing the issues of today.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-10-2

. Mr. Chair, I rise today to include in the Record the following quotes from numerous non-profit, faith-based, and advocacy organizations expressing their national security concerns with the House s' 2024 State and Foreign Operations spending plans: The Global Health Council, together with 70+ additional organizations, stated the following: Global Health Council and 70+ Organizations ``As a community of global health and development advocates, we are deeply concerned with the steep cuts being proposed to the House State and Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS) budget at a time when the world is facing concurrent destabilizing events, such as the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, further instability and food insecurity caused by the war in Ukraine, and the continuous threat of emerging infectious diseases. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget being proposed by the House Appropriations SFOPS Subcommittee falls woefully short of the resources needed to address these converging crises and severely undercuts critical global health and humanitarian assistance programs, which are a key component of how the U.S. engages with the world. According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, these cuts would reverse gains made to combat infectious diseases, including through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), programs to prevent maternal and childhood deaths, and funds to support health workers and global health security. This bill is a dangerous signal to the rest of the world that the U.S. is ceding leadership on the global stage . . .'' The Catholic Relief Services released the following statement (excerpt): Catholic Relief Services Executive Vice President Bill O'Keefe ``Recognizing we are a blessed nation, strong bipartisan majorities have long supported humanitarian and development aid that has saved millions of lives, contributed to greater stability and rolled back global health threats, such as HIV. The House's current proposal is a departure from this legacy and threatens the lives of many around the world as well as our national security.'' The United States Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) released the following statements: Former Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper ``America's leadership in the world cannot be left to doubt. When we don't lead, we create a vacuum that will be filled instead by China, which has only increased its spending on defense, diplomacy, and development. America's leadership means more than just military capability; diplomacy and foreign assistance are part of it too. This proposed budget would upend that relationship by gutting our civilian toolkit and depriving Ameri
HIGHLIGHTING THE HISTORY OF INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICIES
Sharice Davids (Democrat, KS) \u2014 2023-10-2

I rise today as a proud member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. I believe a big part of my role as a Native woman in Congress is to simply educate my colleagues about our federal governments' relationship and responsibilities to tribes. prgtoken That includes the hard histories between the federal government and our Tribal communities--things that can be difficult to face. It would be difficult to find a Native person that has not had the Indian boarding school era impact their families or community. prgtoken It is estimated that by 1926, nearly 83 percent of Native children were enrolled in one of at least 367 currently known Indian boarding schools across 30 states. Thousands of our children were torn or coerced from families and communities by the federal government or religious entities to be ``assimilated'' into American society. prgtoken Students at Indian boarding schools were forced to change their entire sense of being with new names, hair, language, and culture. prgtoken During these assimilation practices, many were not able to see their family or speak their language, and even experienced verbal and sexual abuse. prgtoken There are so many stories of children that never returned home. Future artists, doctors, language keepers, storytellers, and leaders skipped generations. We still feel those impacts today. prgtoken The federal government and our country must do better to acknowledge its legacy and understand the full truth of these policies. prgtoken This Congress, I'm working with Congressional Native American Caucus Co-chair Tom Cole on the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act. This legislation seeks healing for stolen Native children and their communities. prgtoken Originally introduced by now-Secretary Deb Haaland, this bill would establish a formal commission to investigate, document, and acknowledge past injustices of the federal government's Indian Boarding School Policies. This commission is a critical step to allow Native families and communities to begin to heal. prgtoken Representative Cole and I are in the process and narrowing down the legislative text and hope to introduce the bill again soon. It received bipartisan support in the past, which shows that our relatives are being seen. And both the House and the Senate held hearings on the bill last Congress, which shows our colleagues are ready to listen. prgtoken The importance of fully understanding the impacts of Indian boarding school policies in the United States transcends political lines. And I know that sharing these experiences and learning the truth is a brave and sometimes hard thing to do. prgtoken We hope that in this difficult process, Tribal communities will also support each other physically, mentally, and spiritually. I will continue to amplify the voices of Indian Country in the halls of Congress and encourage my colleagues to join me in that mission.
VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL POST OFFICE
Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-10-2

I thank Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Raskin for helping move this bill through committee. I rise in strong support of H.R. 2379. prgtoken My legislation would designate the USPS facility at 616 East Main Street in St. Charles, Illinois, as the Veterans of the Vietnam War Memorial Post Office in recognition of Vietnam veterans and their service to the people of the United States. prgtoken This formal renaming is but a small step to recognize the enormous sacrifice made by the brave men and women who served our Nation in Vietnam. prgtoken I humbly offer this legislation to honor every one of those soldiers, sailors, coastguardsmen, airmen, and marines whose service helped safeguard our Nation. prgtoken When visiting this post office, members of the community will be able to reflect on the nearly 3 million Americans and more than 200,000 Illinoisans who served our country during the Vietnam war and the debt we still owe them. prgtoken It is my hope that the Veterans of the Vietnam War Memorial Post Office will serve as a beacon of recognition in the community, shining a light on all the sacrifices that these veterans made for all of us. prgtoken To all of them, we once again say: Welcome home.