mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE GREENBRIER MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM COMPETITION TEAM
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-7-30

today I wish to recognize the members of the Greenbrier Middle School STEM Competition Team from Evans, GA: Jordan Epstein, Emily Forshee, Kendall Schneller, Carissa Veriato, and Sam Weinstein, as well as their teacher, Mr. David Phillips. prgtoken Last October, the team competed in the STEAM competition at Augusta University. The team designed, built, and launched a rocket that was powered by water pressure and carrying a chicken egg. The rocket successfully landed in the landing zone that was only 30 feet in diameter. prgtoken The team won grand prize in that competition for middle school engineering, and received an invitation to the International Young STEM Maker Competition at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. They were the only American team to have received an invite. prgtoken The team worked to design a house that was powered by water as well as a new concept for electric vehicles. Out of 111 teams from around the globe, Greenbrier was awarded second place for their work. On top of that, the team's faculty leader, Mr. David Phillips, was awarded second place in the Best STEM Teacher competition. prgtoken These bright young people and the teachers who guide them have made the State of Georgia and all of America very proud. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Phillips and all members of prgtoken the Greenbrier Middle School STEM Competition Team for their incredible achievements. Thank you.
HONORING DIANE YODER FOR HER SELFLESS SERVICE TO OUR HEROES
Daniel Meuser (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-7-30

. Madam , it is with profound respect that I rise today to honor Diane Yoder of Fleetwood for her incredible service to our community's veterans and first responders. prgtoken The Yoder family is a military family; all three of Diane's children served, following a family tradition of service. When her son Jarett was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2013, Diane took up this call to service herself. She began the Jarett Yoder Foundation, a non-profit with 10 Patriot Houses in Pennsylvania for veterans and first responders at risk of homelessness. She is now working with more than 170 families to provide important resources to them in times of need. prgtoken Diane has touched countless lives through her work and carries on the memory of her son's service in her own. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Diane Yoder for her tireless service for Pennsylvania's veterans and first responders.
HONORING MOUNTAINMAN OUTDOOR SUPPLY COMPANY OWNER JOHN NEMJO FOR WINNING THE NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION'S SMALL BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2019-7-30

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the achievements of one of the North Country's most successful small business owners, John Nemjo. prgtoken John demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit when he opened Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company in 1993. Back then, he ran the company out of an abandoned, 700 square foot pizza shop in the heart of the Adirondack State Park with just a couple seasonal employees and a budget of a few thousand dollars. prgtoken In the decades since, John has grown his company into a fixture of the Adirondack business community. He now operates a thriving business out of six locations with over 15,000 square feet in combined retail space. Instead of a handful of seasonal employees, John now has 53 year-round employees. Adirondack Bank acknowledged John's achievements with a 2018 Small Business Excellence Award. prgtoken Small business owners like John Nemjo benefit our communities in so many ways. They employ local residents and contribute to the dynamism and vibrancy of our economy. On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, I want to congratulate him for this well-deserved recognition and thank him for his contribution to our community.
HONORING MEIERHOFFER FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2019-7-30

. Madam , I proudly pause to recognize Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory in St. Joseph, Missouri, as it celebrates its 125th anniversary. prgtoken For one hundred twenty-five years and five generations, the Meierhoffer Family has been there for people. For grieving families, for widows and children, Meierhoffer Funeral Home has been there. The Meierhoffers, with kindness, empathy and a quiet presence are able to bring calm to the chaos of raw nerves and frayed emotions. They are able to help others make peace and help families begin the process of healing from a loss. People say that having a good funeral home is like having a good lawyer. You never want to have to call them, but when you do have to make that call, you are always glad that they are there. I and all of St. Joseph, are eternally grateful that for over a century the Meierhoffer Funeral Home has been there. prgtoken Madam , I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory for one hundred twenty-five years of serving the people of St. Joseph, Missouri. I am honored to have such a long-standing family business in the Sixth Congressional District of Missouri and to represent the Meierhoffer Family in the United States Congress.
CONGRATULATING SENIOR OFFICER JON PETTIT ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF EULESS, TEXAS
Kenny Marchant (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-30

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Jon Pettit on his well-earned retirement from the City of Euless, Texas Police Department after twenty years of dedicated service as a law enforcement officer. prgtoken Jon is a hardworking and highly respected Senior Officer of the Euless Police Department. He has honorably served his community since beginning his distinguished career with the Euless Police Department as a Public Service Officer where he served for four years, gaining valuable experience in jail operations. In 2004, Jon was promoted to Officer where he would continue to serve the department in numerous capacities over the next sixteen years, exhibiting the highest level of professionalism. prgtoken Throughout his time as an officer in Euless, Jon has received over 35 police commendations as evidence of his outstanding service prgtoken and professionalism. During Jon's time with the department he served variety of assignments, namely Field Training Officer, Bicycle Officer, and Criminal Investigation ``Auto Task Force'' Investigator. It is through his numerous commendations that Jon's colleagues, supervisors, and the Euless community have expressed their deepest appreciation and gratitude for his service. prgtoken In twenty years of service, Jon has received over 2000 hours of police in-service and public safety officer training, consisting of a variety of advanced and master-level police courses. These courses include areas of patrol, advanced ``auto theft'' investigation, accident investigation, defensive tactics training, complex crimes investigation, Reid Interviewing Advanced Investigation Techniques, and police ``intoxilyzer operator'' training. Jon's dedication to his fellow officers is apparent in his commitment to the instruction and development of younger police officers, and Jon has always been appreciated as an informal leader within the department. prgtoken Jon's contributions to the law enforcement operations in the City of Euless has helped to ensure countless officers were adequately trained and prepared for the challenges they face in their everyday duties as police. His legacy will leave a lasting mark on the City of Euless and the Euless Police Department for many years to come. prgtoken Madam , it is a pleasure to recognize the extensive efforts Jon has contributed to the City of Euless, and the State of Texas. I ask all of my distinguished colleagues to join me in recognizing Senior Officer Jon Pettit for his many years of service.
RECOGNIZING EAGLE ALLOY'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2019-7-30

. Madam , I rise today to honor and celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Eagle Alloy, a local business that proudly serves the West Michigan community. prgtoken Eagle Alloy is a company that provides various types of advanced metal castings to a variety of customers all over the nation. Since 1979, the Eagle Alloy headquarters and it's manufacturing facilities have all been located in Muskegon, Michigan, and has become one of the largest private employers in the community. prgtoken The founders of Eagle Alloy, Mark Fazakerly and John Workman, are two individuals I proudly call close friends and have always held a customer-first attitude when running their business. In fact, Mark and John still work closely with their very first customer even after 40 successful years. prgtoken Safety and worker satisfaction are also key components to the Eagle Alloy workplace. Eagle Alloy will be celebrating an incredible 500,000 consecutive work hours with no accidents alongside their 40th Anniversary. prgtoken In 2015, Eagle Alloy was awarded ``Metal Caster of the Year'' by the American Foundry Society. A few years later in 2018, Eagle Alloy was honored as the ``Michigan Manufacturer of the Year'' by the Michigan Manufacturers Association. prgtoken Madam , please join me in congratulating John, Mark, and all of the employees and families of Eagle Alloy for 40 years of dedicated service to West Michigan and our country's manufacturing base.
COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2019
Garret Graves (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-7-30

I would like to add that there are several provisions contained in H.R. 3409 to ensure that the Coast Guard stays on the cutting edge of readiness. I appreciated the inclusion of the Coast Guard Shore Infrastructure Improvement Act, which I introduced with my colleague, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell of Florida. This legislation will ensure that the $2.6 billion backlog of shore infrastructure needs are prioritized strategically so that our Coasties have the high-quality on-shore facilities to support their numerous missions. prgtoken I also want to thank Mr. DeFazio and Mr. Maloney for working with my staff to include in H.R. 3409 a provision to prepare a demonstration program for the use of wing-in-ground vessels in the Outer Continental Shelf this provision emphasizes the dramatic advancements in new transportation technologies over the past few years and urges the Coast Guard to begin preparing to oversee their use. A demonstration program will support the Coast Guard in conceptualizing how these new technologies will be used to support commerce in U.S. waters and how such vessels will be regulated. We cannot wait for these technologies to be fully matured before we contemplate their safe application in our waters or airspace. Again, I appreciate the inclusion of these provisions in the underlying authorization and support its adoption.
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-7-30

we had a situation in which we went through an 8-year period of time when our military was somewhat devastated, and I want to share some of the specifics of that because it is a serious thing. We are going to be voting on the defense budget agreement, and I have already stated where I stand on it. I am here to outline why the budget agreement is necessary for our national defense. prgtoken This defense budget agreement will be able to focus on the Senate's Armed Services' top priorities, one of which is to fix the on-base privatization of military housing. prgtoken Remember that this happened about 6 months ago. We discovered, all of a sudden, that we were not doing a good job on our privatized housing. Hey, I have to admit that I am partly responsible for that because I was around here when we decided to privatize the housing. It did work for a while. I think, after a period of time, people got a little careless, and there was a little slack. Some of the contractors who made that commitment got a little bit greedy. This information as to how bad the conditions were came from a person at Tinker Air Force Base who was the spouse of a military person. When I first heard this, I thought there were bad conditions just in my State of Oklahoma, but there were not; they were all over the Nation. prgtoken So we fixed that thing. We fixed it with our defense authorization bill, and we had a lot of provisions in there. We are now modernizing our military housing in a way that is going to be good for all of our spouses and others who are forced to live there. For some reason, if our defense budget agreement were to go down in flames and not be passed, there wouldn't be the modernizing of our military or the giving to our troops a well-deserved pay raise, and they have not had a pay raise in a long time. This is going to be the largest pay raise for our military people in the last 10 years. It is a good thing. prgtoken By the way, people are always talking about how we can be so concerned about building our military when we have China and Russia that have passed us up in many areas and spend just a fraction of the amount. The reason is very simple, which is that China and Russia are countries that don't have to do anything for their soldiers. We take care of ours. We try to provide good housing. We provide the types of things that our all-volunteer force can be very proud of and are very proud of. That is something we have to incur. The largest single expenditure that we have in the military is end strength--the people out there. Communist countries--China, Russia--don't have to worry about that. ``Here is a gun. Go out and kill somebody.'' We don't have that luxury, and we wouldn't do that if we wanted to. prgtoken If we don't pass this budget bill, the effects on the military will be devastating. Let me just share a couple of things that would happen. prgtoken We would force the Department of Defense to
PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-7-31

there is too much secrecy in drug pricing, particularly in who benefits from rebates. Not all rebates are created equal in the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. prgtoken Rebate obligations for brand-name drugs are currently based on both brand-name and authorized generic drug sales. That means brand-name drug manufacturers pay less in rebate obligations. prgtoken The bipartisan legislation I introduced with Senator Wyden fixes this. It ensures that brand-name drug manufacturers pay--like common sense ought to dictate--brand-name rebates. This reduces gaming in the system to make sure authorized generics come to market for a purpose related to patient access, not just to lower brand-name rebate obligations. prgtoken Transparency brings accountability, and with transparency and accountability, the market works better, competition works better, and in the end, gets the price of drugs down. prgtoken . prgtoken .
Iowa (Executive Session)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-7-31

with August just around the corner, countless Iowans are preparing to fill up their gas tanks--many with Iowa-grown E15--and take to our scenic highways for one last summer road trip. I can tell you one thing: I will be hitting the Iowa roadways myself, and I really cannot wait, folks. Throughout the month, I will be continuing on what I call my 99 County Tour, an annual tradition where I visit each and every one of Iowa's 99 counties. I will be logging hundreds of miles and speaking with thousands of Iowans. prgtoken It doesn't get any better than heading back home, getting out of this DC swamp, and talking with folks about the issues that matter most to them--like solutions to lower prescription drug prices, policies to help our farmers and small businesses thrive, and efforts to cut wasteful spending and to make them squeal here in Washington. prgtoken So far, this year, my tour has brought me to over 50 Iowa counties, and I am aiming to visit another 30 or so before Labor Day. I will be crisscrossing the State, hosting townhalls and visiting the small businesses, farms, plants, and everyone else that are currently creating jobs and contributing to Iowa's current economic boom and record unemployment. prgtoken Meeting with and hearing from my fellow Iowans is one of the best and most important parts of my job. Our elected officials should always be out there listening to the people we work for. It is our job, and it really does make us more effective lawmakers. prgtoken For Iowans and folks across the Nation planning to hit the road this August, I hope you will take advantage of all that Iowa has to offer. With 99 counties, it means 99 unique communities for road warriors and families to visit and enjoy. prgtoken There are national treasures like the Effigy Mounds National Monument, a sacred site that is located in Allamakee and Clayton Counties, featuring more than 200 American Indian mounds. There are historic gems like the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in Cedar County and Lewis and Clark State Park in Monona County. prgtoken I am sure folks will be willing to fill their social media feeds with one-of-a-kind Iowa attractions like the American Gothic House in Wapello County, the world's largest concrete gnome, in Story County, and the famed Field of Dreams in Dubuque County. prgtoken And who could forget the Iowa State Fair, truly the best State fair in North America and the crown jewel of Iowa attractions, with everything from the butter cow to peanut butter and jelly on a stick, hot beef sundaes, and, of course, good old-fashioned hotdogs. In fact, the Iowa State fair lists over 69 foods on a stick. That is right. It is on a stick, folks. You can try that at the fair this August. prgtoken But while you are out on the road, there are a few things that you will not be able to avoid. First and foremost, it is running for President. Folks, they are everywhere in Iowa. You will n
Montana (Executive Session)
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2019-7-31

as we are getting ready for a busy August work period, I am very much looking forward to spending time in Big Sky Country back home in Montana, away from the swamp, enjoying the beautiful State that I am so lucky to call home. prgtoken In between meetings, I am taking a few days to enjoy Montana's great outdoors, including spending 3 days backpacking in the Beartooth Wilderness with my sweet wife Cindy and a couple of our dogs. As an avid outdoorsman, I was raised to appreciate our public lands, and I can assure you, nothing beats going off the grid for a bit, where there is no cell phone coverage on top of the peaks, with my sweetheart and a couple of our pups and enjoying Montana's beauty, the fly rod with an elk hair caddis and chasing cut and sometimes even goldens in Montana's highest lakes. prgtoken I will also be spending a lot of time on the road traveling all over Montana. I get to each of Montana's 56 counties every congressional period, to every corner of our State, from West Butte down to Ekalaka, even Alzada, over in Monida, up to the northwest corner of our State to places like Libby, Troy, and even Yaak. prgtoken I will also work to get to one of my favorite places in Montana, the famous Jersey Lilly in Ingomar. This place is not well known. It is off the beaten path. But the Jersey Lilly in Ingomar, MT, is home to the best bean soup in Big Sky Country. If you ever find yourself in east central Montana, Rosebud County, you have to get off of Highway 12 and stop in. I have known the owners of that restaurant for many years-- Boots and June. There is a Montana name for you--``Boots.'' They not only serve up great food and even better conversation, they are also yet another example of a local family business--the bedrock of our small towns and counties across Montana. The fine folks over at the Jersey Lilly are what Montana is all about. It is about hard work, family values, passion for their community, and passion for our great country. I am a proud and frequent customer of the Jersey Lilly, and I can't wait for the next bowl of bean soup. prgtoken .
BUDGET SCOREKEEPING REPORT
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2019-7-31

I wish to submit to the Senate the budget scorekeeping report for July 2019. The report compares current-law levels of spending and revenues with the amounts the Senate agreed to in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, BBA18. This information is necessary for the Senate Budget Committee to determine whether budgetary points of order lie against pending legislation. The staff of the Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office, CBO, prepared this report pursuant to section 308(b) of the Congressional Budget Act, CBA. prgtoken This is my sixth scorekeeping report this year. My last filing can be found in the Congressional Record for June 26, 2019. The information included in this report is current through July 26, 2019. prgtoken Since my last filing, Congress has cleared four pieces of legislation with significant budgetary effects. The first, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019, P.L. 116-26, provided nearly $4.6 billion in emergency funding to address needs at the Nation's southern border. The second measure with significant budgetary effects, P.L. 116-29, provided for a 2-week extension of the Medicaid community health services demonstration program. The third, the Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act of 2019, P.L. 116-33, revises loan seasoning requirements related to a refinanced Veterans Affairs housing loan. The fourth, the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act, P.L. 116-34, appropriates such sums as necessary for the Victims Compensation Fund to pay claims to eligible victims through fiscal year 2029 and fully compensate claimants who have received reduced awards in the past because of declining balances in the fund. prgtoken Budget Committee staff prepared Tables A-C. prgtoken Table A gives the amount by which each Senate authorizing committee exceeds or is below its allocation for budget authority and outlays under the fiscal year 2019 enforceable levels filing required by BBA18. This information is used for enforcing committee allocations pursuant to section 302 of the CBA. For this reporting period, 9 of the 16 authorizing committees are not in compliance with their allocations. Over the current 10-year enforceable window, authorizing committees have increased outlays by a combined $13.0 billion. Of the bills clearing Congress this reporting period, P.L. 116-34 added to the Judiciary Committee's existing violations, including an increase in spending of $9.4 billion over the 10-year window, P.L. 116-33 reduced the Banking Committee's allocation violation by $3 million in each enforceable window, and P.L. 116-29 added $5 million to the Finance Committee's existing fiscal year 2019 violations. prgtoken Table B provides the amount by which the Senate Committee on